AMHERST, Mass. - The Amherst College softball team rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh and pushed across the winning run in the eighth inning to tip Bowdoin, 6-5, in the opening game of the New England Small College Athletic Conference Championship Friday afternoon.

The Polar Bears (28-13) fall into an elimination game on Saturday morning against Middlebury, who were no-hit in a 2-0 loss to Tufts on Friday afternoon. Bowdoin and Middlebury will play at 10:00 a.m. with the loser being finished and winner advancing to another elimination game at 3:00 p.m.

Bowdoin took a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning when Hanna Wurgaft ripped a single to right field that scored Amy Hackett. The Polar Bears carried the lead into the bottom of the seventh where Kelsey Ayers laid a bunt single down the third base line. Kaitlin Silkowitz then reached on a throwing error to put two on, before Bowdoin's Melissa DellaTorre sailed a wild pitch to the backstop, allowing the runners to advance to second and third.

With the bases loaded after an intentional walk to Donna Leet, Reilly Horan lifted a sacrifice to right to plate a tagging Ayers. Getting Carolyn Miller to pop-up back to the mound, DellaTorre avoided any further damage, retiring Carly Dudzik to send the game into extra innings.

In the top of the seventh, Bowdoin had two runners on with one out, but couldn't score the go-ahead run. Amherst wasted little time in the bottom of the inning, as Dudzik doubled to lead off the frame. Idalia Friedson dropped a bunt down the third base line, where the ball was fielded but thrown high to first, allowing the runner to come around to score the game-winning run.

The Polar Bears twice overcame deficits early in the contest, drawing even at 2-2 in the third on a Gen Barlow double and, after falling behind 4-2, getting consecutive hits from Toni DaCampo, Amy Hackett and Casey Correa to tie the game again.

Caroline Dewar, DaCampo and Wurgaft had two hits each for Bowdoin while Barlow reached base three times. DellaTorre took the loss by allowing three earned runs over seven innings, scattering seven hits and walking four with four strikeouts.

Saturday's game between Bowdoin and Middlebury will be the first between the teams since a Florida meeting in March of 2010, won 2-1 by the Polar Bears.