BRUNSWICK – Oliver Van Zant gave up four hits over eight innings and became Bowdoin’s career strikeout leader as the Polar Bears rallied for a 5-3 win over Tufts in a New England Small College Athletic Conference baseball game Friday.

Van Zant (5-1), a junior, struck out 13 and walked one. He has 189 career strikeouts, breaking the record of 187 set by Bernard Johnson in 1950.

The Polar Bears (19-14, 6-4 NESCAC) used a four-run fifth inning to erase a 3-1 deficit. John Lefeber had an RBI single and Dan Findley hit his second sacrifice fly of the game during the rally.

Bowdoin can clinch a berth in the NESCAC tournament with one win in a doubleheader today against Tufts (20-9, 4-6).

COLBY 7, PLYMOUTH STATE 6: Devlin McConnell had a double and a single to lead Colby’s 11-hit attack as the Mules (16-14) edged the Panthers (13-19) at Gorham.

SOFTBALL

COLBY 1, TRINITY 0: Kelsey Park hit an RBI triple in the top of the seventh inning and Megan Michie threw her first career shutout to lift the Mules (11-19, 1-9 NESCAC) over the Bantams (12-17, 2-8) at Hartford, Conn.