WINDSOR – SouthWest Edgecombe scored six runs in the first inning and held on to defeat Bertie 10-7 here Tuesday.

The Cougars scored the majority of their runs in the top of the first inning of the non-conference game and built a 9-1 lead before the Falcons rallied.

Trailing 6-0 heading into the bottom of the first, BHS scored their first run.

Aaron Hoggard walked, allowing courtesy runner Kevin Jara to score on an O.J. Dobbin RBI-double that trimmed the margin to 6-1.

SouthWest plated two more in the top of the third and another in the fourth to push their lead to 9-1.

Bertie scored again in the bottom of the fourth. Hunter Mizelle doubled and scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-2.

The Cougars got their final run in the top of the sixth and led 10-2, but the Falcons plated five of their own in the bottom half of the same frame.

Corey Hoggard walked and went to second on a fielder’s choice before scoring on a passed ball.

Dobbin walked, stole second and scored on an Ethan Boller RBI-single after Scott Hoggard had reached on a dropped third strike.

Hoggard and Boller came home on a Lance Thomas two-run double and Thomas scored himself on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 10-7.

The Falcons couldn’t get closer, however, as they suffered their third loss of the season.

Jay Hughes pitched six and two-thirds inning allowing four runs and seven hits in relief. He struck out three.

Offensively, Boller led the way for BHS with a 3-for-3 day at the plate. Thomas was 2-for-4.

&uot;Jay Hughes threw a heck of a game for us,&uot; veteran Bertie coach Randy Whitaker said. &uot;We fell behind early, but we didn’t quit. We kept battling the whole game.&uot;

The Falcons will be back in action today (Thursday) when they host Tarboro at 4:30 p.m.