WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Upper Valley Nighthawks are making all the right moves at the perfect time of the year in the NECBL Northern Division playoff race, and are getting all the help they need around the league.

The Nighthawks broke through with a three-run seventh inning to top the Ocean State Waves, 8-7, on Saturday night at the Maxfield Sports Complex.

The win, and a Keene Swamp Bats loss to Martha’s Vineyard Sharks on Saturday, gives Upper Valley (23-16) sole possession of second place in the North ahead of the NECBL All-Star Game on Sunday afternoon.

The Nighthawks, with five games remaining in the regular season, visit the Sanford Mainers on Monday.

Ocean State (17-21), which entered the game 9-1 in its last 10 games, put up a four spot in the top of the first inning, hitting around Upper Valley starter Andrew DeRoche (Trinity) with five hits, one walk and an error. But Upper Valley responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning with an Anthony Quirion (Lamar) two-run double and a sacrifice fly by John Hosmer (Davidson), cutting the deficit to one.

The Waves scored again with one run in both the second and fourth innings before the Nighthawks could respond again — a Jack Zyska (Notre Dame) solo home run and a RBI double by Jeff Costello (Northeastern) that cut the deficit to one again, 6-5.

Ocean State re-established its two-run cushion in the sixth inning off of an error by Brian Moore (Lipscomb), taking a 7-5 lead into the seventh.

But Upper Valley’s offense opened the game up. Cole Frederick (Jacksonville State) led off with a triple; Quirion brought him home with a single. Hosmer laced an RBI single into left field and Andrew Cossetti (St. Joseph’s) scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball.

Upper Valley’s bullpen was stellar down the stretch, allowing just one hit in the final five innings. Kellen Spann (West Alabama) and Corley Woods (Jacksonville State) shut the door in the eighth and ninth.

Frederick, Quirion, Cossetti, Aaron Haase (Jacksonville State), Jordan DiValerio (St. Joseph’s) will all participate in the All-Star festivities on Sunday. Devin Beckley (Citadel) is scheduled to start against the Mainers on Monday.