APEX - Fuquay-Varina’s first trip through the batting order Tuesday night did not look promising. Apex starting pitcher Matt Tenuta cruised through the first 2 1/3 innings, striking out five and allowing just two Bengals to reach base.

The second and third times through the lineup, however, were much more productive for Fuquay. The Bengals’ bats came alive in the third inning, and they were able to hold on late for the 6-5 win.

“This is a good win,” Fuquay baseball coach Milton Senter said. “[The Tri-Nine Conference] is brutal. Anytime you can get a win on the road, it’s big.”

After the Cougars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, the Bengals answered with four runs in the top of the third. Chris Williams’ one-out double drove in Addison Braswell and Garrett Suggs, who each drew walks to get the rally started, and pulled Fuquay even at 2-2.

Devin Kelly plated Williams with a double of his own, and the Bengals had their first lead of the game. Kelly scored two batters later on a Zak Orrison sacrifice fly to make it 4-2.

“The strike zone was liberal,” Senter said. “We had to adjust to the strike zone. Both teams had to adjust to it. After the first couple of innings, we made adjustments and expanded our strike zones. Then we got some timely hitting.”

Apex pulled back to within one in the bottom half of the third when Nick Smith scored on an Austin Debevec two-out single, but Fuquay’s bats remained hot.

Kirk Stephenson singled with one out in the fourth inning and then scored on a Braswell single to push the Bengals’ advantage back to two. After Suggs drew his second walk of the game, Williams drove in Braswell with the third Fuquay (12-4, 8-3 Tri-Nine) single of the inning to make it 6-3.

As before, the Cougars (7-8, 6-6) had an answer.

With two outs and runners on first and second in the bottom of the fourth, Smith hammered a triple down the right field line to make it 6-5 Bengals. Unfortunately for Apex, Smith – representing the tying run – was left standing on third to end the inning.

Pitching took over in the late innings. Both teams were able to mount small threats, but the bullpens got out of every jam.

The Cougars’ last quality scoring opportunity presented itself in the sixth when they loaded the bases with two outs. But just like in the fourth with Smith on third base, no one was able to deliver that clutch at-bat.

“That’s kind of been the story of the season,” Apex coach Mike Valder said. “We’ve played some extra innings games and a lot of one-run games, and came down on the back side of them. I would like to find a way to get that big hit.”

Fuquay’s Kyle Boraski came in with one out in the seventh and nailed down the save by getting Keaton Oaks to ground into the game-ending double play.