Cullman's AJ Miller celebrates during Game 1 of Thursday's quarterfinal series.

For the second straight season, Cullman and Hazel Green will head to a Game 3 tiebreaker.

The Class 6A No. 7 Bearcats (25-13) overcame an early six-run deficit against the No. 3 Trojans (27-16) in Game 1 of Thursday’s quarterfinal series to snare an 11-9 victory before losing to the home squad 8-3 in Game 2 later in the evening. Friday’s tiebreaker is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Hazel Green jumped all over the Black and Gold in Game 1, plating six first-inning runs for a 6-0 lead.

But Brent Patterson’s group didn’t blink.

Brady Patterson (sacrifice fly), Nicholas Braswell (RBI single) and Brennen Norton (RBI single) helped Cullman cut its deficit in half in the second inning before Patterson (RBI double) and Cooper Beck (bases-loaded HBP) made it 6-5 in the third inning.

Jordan Beck put the Trojans back in front by three with a two-run homer in the bottom half of the frame, but the Bearcats answered with five runs in the fourth inning to gain a 10-8 lead — courtesy of just one hit.

Hazel Green’s Hayden Lindsey plunked four straight batters on four consecutive pitches — the latter three occurring with the bases loaded — to tie the contest before Norton roped a two-run single to left field to give his team a two-run advantage.

Cooper Beck delivered an RBI double in the sixth inning, and Norton earned the save, allowing just two hits and striking out one over the final three frames.

Blake Lambert grabbed the win, scattering five hits, two earned runs and a strikeout over 3 2/3 innings before being relieved by Norton in the fifth frame.

Norton (three RBIs), Patterson (two RBIs) and Braswell (RBI) finished with two hits apiece, while Beck (three RBIs), AJ Miller (RBI), Ben Hollis and Dylon Wallace each netted one hit. Niklas Fondren pitched in an RBI.

The nightcap was tied at 1-all before Hazel Green scored five runs in the sixth inning to go up 6-1.

Cullman responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame — Peyton Colvard was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded before Hollis produced an RBI single to slice the deficit to three — but the home team answered right back with two runs in the seventh inning to seal the deal.

Norton (three hits), Hollis (two hits and one RBI), Colvard (one hit and one RBI), Miller (one hit and one RBI), Braswell (one hit) and Beck (one hit) provided the offensive contributions in Game 2.