ROBERSONVILLE – Hertford County High School’s baseball team rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat Plymouth High School 7-5 Saturday afternoon in the first round of the South Creek Easter Tournament here.

Plymouth began the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning and tacked on two more in the top of the second for a 4-0 lead after an inning and a half.

The Bears scored three runs in the bottom of the second. Brandon Terry singled and then on a wild pickoff throw by the Viking first baseman Terry went all the way to third. He later scored on an Austin Hurdle RBI single. Clay Barmer then drew a walk to put runners on the corners. Bears coach Chris Towell then called for the double-steal, which was executed perfectly with Hurdle scoring on the throw to second base. Eric Ortiz next reached on a fielder’s choice with Barmer erased at third on the play. Ortiz then stole second and third and scored the last run of the inning on an RBI single by Ryan Weaver; making it 4-3 Plymouth after two complete.

Hertford County took over the game with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Hurdle singled, Ortiz walked, and Weaver reached on an error to load the bases. Hurdle then scored on a Tyler Jones sacrifice fly. Ackerman Grace was hit by a pitch to re-load the bases but not for long as Bryan Merritt hit a three-run double into right center field scoring Ortiz, Weaver, and Grace.

Plymouth scored its last run of the game in the top of the fifth for the 7-5 final.

Merritt started and pitched an inning-and-a-third allowing four hits and four runs. Jones pitched the final five and two-thirds innings for the win allowing three hits and one run.

The Bears had eight hits, three by Hurdle who drove in a run. Weaver had two hits and an RBI, Merritt had one hit and three RBI, Jones had a hit and drove in one, and Terry had the other Hertford County hit.

The Bears raised their record to 9-2 and after rains wiped out Monday’s games, HCHS played Bertie today (Tuesday) in the second round.