EDENTON – The Aces built a 6-3 lead and held off Hertford County High School 6-5 here Friday night.

The loss dropped the Bears to 5-2 in the Northeastern Coastal Conference baseball race.

Hertford County opened the scoring with one run in the top of the first frame.

Tyler Burden had a bunt single, but was erased at second when Marvin Harrell reached on a fielder’s choice.

Harrell moved to third on a Daniel Merritt single to right and scored on a Brandon Warren RBI-groundout to make it 1-0.

Edenton responded with two runs in the home half of the first frame. Nick Bunch had an RBI-single and another run scored on a balk to give the Aces a 2-1 edge.

The Bears came back with a run in the top of the second stanza. Mitchell Godwin reached on an error. Courtesy runner Bobby Merritt went to second when Montario Hunter was hit by a pitch. Hunter was erased at second when Petey Boone reached on a fielder’s choice that sent Merritt to third.

Merritt scored on a Brandon Staton sacrifice fly to deadlock the game at 2-all.

The Aces then took the lead in the bottom of the third when a runner stole home to make it 3-2.

The Bears tied the game again in the top of the fourth frame.

Hunter singled and moved to second on a groundout. He then scored on a Staton RBI-single to center. Staton, however, was thrown out at second trying to stretch it to a double.

Edenton took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth on a Nikolai Simonson two-run homer that made it 5-3.

The Aces added another run in the bottom of the fifth on a Bunch RBI-double that made it 6-3.

The Bears added two runs in the top of the sixth stanza.

Godwin reached on an error and was again spelled by Bobby Merritt. Boone had a double to right-center field that sent Merritt to third. Both runners came home on a Staton single to center.

Burden walked, but a groundout ended the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Aces loaded the bases with no one out, but a double play and a strikeout ended the threat with Edenton ahead 6-5.

The Bears put two runners on in the top of the seventh inning when Warren singled to right and Tyler Pryor reached on an error with one out. A double play ended the game.

Pryor (4-2) pitched five innings and suffered the loss. He gave up six runs on six hits while striking out four. Warren pitched one inning allowing three hits and no runs. He struck out one.

The Bears recorded eight hits led by Staton’s two hits and four RBIs. Daniel Merritt had two hits.

The Bears are now 12-5 overall and host First Flight tonight (Tuesday). First pitch is 7 p.m.