GORHAM, Maine - Sophomore Tricia Thibodeau claimed the opener and Melissa DellaTorre dominated the nightcap as the Bowdoin College softball team improved to 15-13 this spring with a sweep of Southern Maine 7-1 and 5-1 on Thursday afternoon.

In the first game, sophomore Gen Barlow hammered a two-run home run in the top of the third inning to lead Bowdoin.  Ahead 3-0 after three innings, Bowdoin took advantage of some sloppy USM defense to tack on four unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning and grab a 7-0 lead. Southern Maine broke up the shut out with a run in the bottom of the sixth with a RBI single from senior Sarah Deroche, but it was the only run of the game for the Huskies. Thibodeau earned the win for the Polar Bears holding the Huskies to six hits over seven innings.  She struck out two and did not give up a walk.

Melissa DellaTorre posted 13 strikeouts, tied for the sixth-most by a pitcher in Bowdoin history in game two. The first-year retired a string of 13 consecutive USM hitters, spanning the first through fifth innings, and kept the Huskies off the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth inning.  During that stretch, DellaTorre had six consecutive strikeouts.  She took the win allowing two earned runs on seven hits, without yielding a walk. Junior Hillary Smyth led the Polar Bear offensive knocking in three of their four runs in the first inning with a double to straight away center field.

Bowdoin hosts Tufts on Friday (4:00 p.m.) in the opener of a key three-game NESCAC series at Pickard Field.