CLERMONT, Fla. - The Bowdoin College softball team pounded out 16 runs and 19 hits in its season-opening sweep of Geneseo State and Franklin & Marshall Thursday evening in Florida.

The Polar Bears (2-0) defeated Geneseo 8-2 in the opener before tipping Franklin & Marshall 8-1 in the nightcap. Bowdoin will play a twinbill against Fairleigh Dickinson and Hood on Friday.

Bowdoin took and early lead in the second inning against Geneseo, scoring on consecutive doubles by Courtney Colantuno and Amy Hackett to record its first run of the season. The Polar Bears put the game away with a five-run fifth frame as Hackett, Hillary Smyth and Gen Barlow all had triples in the win. Caroline Dewar made several sensational catches in left field, including cutting down a runner at home in the first as Tricia Thibodeau earned the win in the circle for Bowdoin.

The Polar Bears continued the onslaught in game two, as Bowdoin jumped to a 4-0 lead after three innings. Barlow blasted a home run in the third frame and Smyth keyed a four-run rally in the sixth with a two-run double to put the contest out of reach. That proved to be all pitcher Melissa DellaTorre would need as the sophomore tossed a complete game for Bowdoin, allowing five hits, one run, and struck out eight batters.

Photo courtesy of Tom Van Zant

GAME ONE
Line Score     Runs     Hits     Errors
Bowdoin          8       9       1
Geneseo St.     2       5       2
Winning Pitcher: Thibodeau (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Bostwick

GAME TWO
Line Score     Runs     Hits     Errors
Bowdoin          8       10       1
F & M            1       5       9
Winning Pitcher: DellaTorre (1-0)
Losing P:itcher: Casey