AHOSKIE – A balk in the bottom of the sixth stanza propelled Hertford County to victory here Tuesday night.

The Bears used a two-run sixth inning to lead them past Currituck County High School 7-6 in a Northeastern Coastal Conference baseball game.

The Bears opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first frame.

Tyler Burden singled to left before Daniel Merritt drew a walk. Burden came around to score on a Brandon Warren RBI-double down the left field line. Merritt held at third and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Currituck rallied for four runs in the top of the second and led 4-2. They added to that advantage with two runs in the top of the third as they surged ahead 6-2.

Hertford County began its rally with three runs in the bottom of the third inning.

Marvin Harrell led off with a solo homerun to left field to trim the deficit to 6-3. Merritt then singled to center before Warren hit a two-run shot to center for his ninth homerun of the year as he cut the deficit to 6-5.

The Bears scored the final two runs of the game in the sixth inning.

Tyler Pryor led off with a single to center. Courtesy runner Bobby Merritt went to second as Tucker Warren walked. Merritt scored on a Montario Hunter RBI-double to left-center field to tie the game at six-all.

Courtesy runner Brandon Taylor was forced out at home when Brandon Staton reached on a fielder’s choice. Hunter then took third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a balk to give the Bears a lead they held.

Burden pitched three innings for the Bears allowing six runs on four hits and has three strikeouts. Brandon Warren tossed the final four innings for the win. He allowed no runs on two hits and struck out 10 to raise his record to 9-1.

The Bears recorded seven hits led by Warren, who had two hits and three RBIs.

“We didn’t quit,” said HCHS baseball boss Chris Towell. “We were behind 6-2 and came back and won. Burden did a great job on the mound. He did exactly what we wanted him to do, which was pitch three innings and give it to Brandon.

“We got some big hits,” he added. “The kids really wanted to win this game.”

The Bears are 16-5 overall and 9-2 in the league, good enough for first place at the moment.