AMHERST, Mass. — John Lefeber tripled home the tiebreaking runs in the eighth inning as Bowdoin earned a 9-8 victory over Amherst on Friday in its opener at the New England Small College Athletic Conference baseball championships.

Lefeber’s two-out triple broke a 7-7 tie. He went 4 for 6 with four RBI, helping the Polar Bears (23-13) stay in the winners’ bracket of the double-elimination tournament. Bowdoin faces Tufts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

The Polar Bears opened a 6-3 lead against Amherst (24-9) with a four-run fifth inning. Lefeber capped the rally with a two-run single.

Matt Ruane added three RBI, and Dan Findley was 3 for 5. Mark Edwards got the final four outs to earn his eighth save of the season.