AHOSKIE – Hertford County broke a 3-3 tie with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Lady Bears went on to beat Northampton County 8-5 in a non-conference game played here Wednesday afternoon.

The win was the inaugural victory for first-year head coach and former Hertford County and Chowan player Amber Matthews.

Northampton County led 3-0 after two-and-a-half innings before the Lady Bears got on the scoreboard by halving that lead thanks to a run in the bottom of the third.  Emily Merritt slashed an RBI double down the right field line, making it 3-1, Lady Jags, after three complete.

Hertford County scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie it when Jazmine Bunch knocked in a pair with a double.  That knotted things at 3-3 after four innings.

The Lady Bears went ahead for the first time with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, both scored on errors. That was good for a 5-3 lead headed to the sixth.

The Lady Jags scored one run in the top of the sixth to get within a run at 5-4, but Hertford County slammed the door with three runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a base hit, two hit batsmen, a walk, and a fielder’s choice.  That made it 8-4 after six.

Northampton scored one more run in the top of the seventh for the 8-5 final.

Hertford County had four hits, one each by Bunch and Merritt along with Sarah Lassiter and Taylor Moore.  Merritt pitched all seven innings for the win, allowing five runs on five hits with nine strikeouts.

The Lady Bears are now 1-3 and will host Bertie at home Tuesday at 7 p.m.