BRUNSWICK, Maine -- The Bowdoin College Polar Bears broke a 3-3 tie with seven runs in the fifth inning and held on from there to defeat the Bates baseball team by a score of 13-8 Friday night in NESCAC action.

Bates (11-10, 2-5 NESCAC) fell behind 3-0 but rallied with three runs in the top of the fourth. Junior Ben Genser (Newton, Mass.) got things started with an infield single. Then senior Noah Jankowski (Methuen, Mass.) launched his third home run of the season, trimming the deficit to 3-2. Sophomore Gibby Sullivan (Yarmouth, Maine) got hit by a pitch and sophomore Liam Yardley (Keene, N.H.) bunted him to second. First-year Keagan Ryan (Salem, N.H.) doubled in Sullivan, tying the game at three. Ryan advanced to third on a wild pitch, and back-to-back walks loaded the bases. But the Polar Bears brought in relief pitcher Alex Saavedra (1-0), who induced a 6-4-3 double play to keep the game knotted at three apiece.

Bates starting pitcher sophomore Diego Sarabia (Atlanta, Ga.) shut down both in the bottom of the fourth, but ran into trouble in the fifth. He struck out the first batter he faced in the frame, but the ball got away and the throw to first was wild, giving Bowdoin a runner at second with nobody out. A single and a hit-by-pitch marked the end of the day for Sarabia (1-5), and the Bowdoin offense took advantage of back-to-back walks to force in a second run. The bottom of the Polar Bear lineup did damage, with Aidan Carey and Ben McKenzie smacking back-to-back RBI singles, making the score 7-3. An RBI fielder's choice and two more RBI singles extended the lead to 10-3. 

The Bobcats refused to back down, getting a run back in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Ryan reached on an infield single and stole second base. Senior captain Jack Brennan (West Hartford, Conn.) drew a walk and senior captain Chris Cimino (Scarborough, Maine) singled in Ryan to make the score 10-4.

Bates continued to chip away, scoring three runs in the seventh inning. Junior Brandon Biggane (Rensselaer, N.Y.) drew a walk to start the frame. Then Genser and Jankowski drew walks as well to load the bases. Sullivan walked as well, forcing in a run. Then with one away, Ryan singled in Genser and Brennan reached on a fielder's choice, plating Jankowski and trimming the deficit to 10-7. 

But the Polar Bears (12-10, 1-2 NESCAC) answered with three runs in the eighth, taking advantage of three walks and a Bates error to go up 13-7. Cal Thompson delivered the big hit with a two-out, two-RBI single.

The Bobcats got one back in the top of the ninth, but it was too little, too late. Senior Dylan Azcárate (Tiburon, Calif.) got hit by a pitch to start the inning and eventually made his way to third thanks to an error and a passed ball. Cimino drew a walk and first-year Henry Prince (McLean, Va.) singled home Azcárate for the final run of the game.

The Bobcats tallied 11 hits to Bowdoin's nine. But Bates made four errors and Bobcat pitching walked nine batters. Bowdoin pitching had even more issues with control, walking 11 Bobcats. But Bates left 14 runners on base to Bowdoin's nine.

Ryan paced the Bates offense, going 3-5 with a run scored and two RBIs.

Bates is back in action Saturday against the Polar Bears in crucial doubleheader, with first pitch set for noon.