Kaleb Heatherly crushed a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning on Monday, lifting Cullman to a 6-4 win over Decatur in its area opener.

The Bearcats (7-5) trailed 4-2 entering the sixth inning before making their move.

Hayden Stancil led off the frame with a double, advanced to third base on a balk and touched home plate on Zac Edwards’ groundout to pull the Black and Gold to within one. Jack Stanford and Will Bradberry then followed with back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 4-all.

Cullman carried that momentum into the seventh inning.

Zane Watwood singled to start things off, and Heatherly drove a ball over the left-field fence to put the Bearcats back in front.

Easton Peed shut the door in the bottom half of the frame to secure the win. Peed pitched the final four innings of the game, scattering two hits and four strikeouts in a scoreless outing.

Bradberry (two RBIs), Heatherly (two RBIs) and Stancil (RBI) each recorded two hits, while Watwood, Stanford, Jake Dueland and Hunter Brooks notched one apiece. Edwards collected a lone RBI.

“I’m proud of the guys for sticking with it despite the hole we dug ourselves,” Cullman coach Brent Patterson said. “We came out and had great at-bats in the sixth (inning). I can’t say enough about what Easton Peed has done for us on the mound. He came in with two on and no outs (in the fourth inning) and got out of it without giving up any runs and helped us get momentum back on our side.

“It’s always good to get the first area win and start off on the right foot.”

Stancil put the Bearcats up 1-0 in the first inning with a sacrifice fly, and the Black and Gold added another run in the fourth inning following Bradberry’s RBI single.

Cullman will host Decatur in a doubleheader on Thursday to wrap up the area series.