A six-run deficit was almost recovered. Almost didn’t count.

Thanks to timely hits and four Elizabethton errors, North Greene built an 8-2 lead and held serve with the go-ahead run on board in an 8-7 decision over the Cyclones in Thursday’s opening game of the Beef O’Brady’s/Chick-fil-A Beef-Chick Baseball Classic at Joe O’Brien Field.

Host Elizabethton cranked out four more hits, but was unable to solve Huskies starter Tyler Bailey until the middle innings. It was three more fielding mistakes, however, that accounted for additional runs that proved to be the difference.