The torch has been passed.
Baseball traveled to Hartford this past weekend to face the Trinity College team that had not lost a NESCAC series since 2007 and was ranked No. 4 in the country. Bowdoin won two out of three and dethroned Trinity from its long-held perch atop the NESCAC. The Polar Bears returned to Brunswick ranked No. 1 in New England.
The three-game series against Trinity began with a thrilling extra inning victory. In front of a raucous crowd on a gorgeous spring afternoon, Trinity's James Wood put the Bantams up 4-3 with a three-run, seventh-inning homer.
Unfazed, Bowdoin responded in the eighth with a clutch two out, two-run double by Joe Comizio '11.
"[Comizio] has been really clutch for us all year," junior centerfielder Brendan Garner said. "It seems like every hit he gets matters."
Trinity rallied to tie the game at 5-5 in the ninth, but Bowdoin scored four times in the tenth frame, including a two-run double by first year Danny Findley. Joe Pace '10 handled the bottom of the 10th for a 3 2/3 inning save and Bowdoin walked away with a 9-7 victory.
Coach Michael Connolly was proud of his players' determination in game one and liked the momentum the win gave the Polar Bears.
"We were able to match Trinity blow for blow, out-grind them," he said. "That first game really let us know that when we play well, we can play with anybody."
Trinity evened the series at a game apiece with a 5-3 victory in game two. Bowdoin managed only four hits, including a two-run bomb by junior Matt Ruane, and was unable to take advantage of a solid pitching performance by Carter Butland '10, who allowed one earned run in a complete game performance.
For the decisive game three, Bowdoin sent flamethrower Oliver Van Zant '13 to the mound.
"I was nervous, definitely, but fortunately I had my best stuff," he said.
Ruane called Van Zant "overpowering" as the first year struck out eleven in seven strong innings. Van Zant and senior Steve Hall held a Trinity offense that had been averaging over 12 runs a game to a lone run, and Bowdoin cruised to a 4-1 victory. Offensively, co-captain Dan Hicks's two-run homer led the way for the Polar Bears.
"Pitching has been the story of the season," said Connolly. "Every game we're able to send someone to the mound who gives us a good chance to win."
Against Thomas on Thursday, Bowdoin dominated 12-6. Reid Auger '10 led off the game with a home run and pitcher Evan Farley '11 gave up four earned runs in five innings.
The offense was led by Brendan Garner '11, whose three doubles tied a school record for doubles in a game.
On Tuesday, Bowdoin hit a bit of a speed bump in a 7-3 loss to St. Joseph. St. Joseph beat Bowdoin with small ball, laying down eight bunts over the course of the game. Despite a solid pitching performance by Pace and another Hicks home run, Bowdoin was unable to build on their weekend performance.
This weekend the Polar Bears head to Middlebury for a three-game set against a talented, but so-far underachieving Panther squad.
- Jim Reidy contributed to this report.