DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The seventh-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles can't quite seem to pull away from an opponent in 2013. But, the Eagles continue to emerge with wins in one-run affairs after Friday's 4-3 victory over visiting Southeastern to begin Sun Conference play. The Blue and Gold connected for just six hits, but took advantage of four Fire errors and a bases-laoded walk late in the game to win their fourth contest of the year and now stand at 4-1 overall and 1-0 in league action. SEU slips to 4-5 and 0-1. The two teams will be back in action in a doubleheader tomorrow, beginning at 1 p.m.



Senior Kevin Maloney was in search of his 21st career win as he took the mound for the Eagles to begin the game, but found himself down 1-0 after back-to-back hits by Southeastern plated a run in the top of the first. Steve Arango doubled to left-center to start things off for the Fire before Phil Delisle singled his courtesy runner home in the next at-bat. However, Maloney ended the threat with a 1-6-3 double play after he struck out Dylan Siegel for the first out in the frame.



Fire starter Grant Porter went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first to send his team back into the dugout, but Maloney was able to work around a single and an error in the second when he struckout Austin Davis to send his team to the plate.



Jeff Lemon reached first on a fielding error by Delisle with one out in the second before moving up a base when Liam Goodall grounded out. Jordan Johnson came through with a two-out RBI single to the outfield that scored Lemon from second, knotting the game at 1-1.



Another Eagle error allowed Arango to begin the third by reaching base, but Maloney set down the next three Fire batters in order.



Matt Jacobs tripled off of Porter to kick start the Eagles' third and scored when Tyler Robbins singled up the middle in the next at-bat. After Robbins was thrown out at second trying to swipe a base and Colt Hankamer was struckout for the second out in the inning, Adam Cellini drew a walk and his courtesy runner Connor Williams stole second to put himself in scoring position. Kevin Lindheim reached base on an infield error, putting Eagles on the corners for Kyle Chastain. The ERAU centerfielder dropped a single into right field to score Williams and bring the Eagle advantage to 3-1.



The Fire got one run back in the fourth when Davis singled home Corbin Weeks, but again Maloney was able to stem the tide and keep his team in front when he got a ground ball back to the mound that he flipped to first for the final out of the frame.



Embry-Riddle loaded the bases against Porter in the fifth, but a dribbler off the bat of Lemon took a lucky bounce for the Fire off the first baseman's glove and right to Porter who was covering first to end the threat and keep the game a one-run contest.



Arango proved to be a thorn in Maloney's side in the sixth when his single through the left side tied the game, allowing George Kirkland to score from second, and Maloney gave way to Brian Johnson to face the next Fire batter in Delisle. Johnson threw two pitches and got Delisle to ground into a fielder's choice that ended in Michael Barrett's force out at third.



Porter walked Robbins and Jacobs after Goodall reached on an error to start the bottom of the sixth, and when Sergio Pita entered to relieve Porter Jordan Romero worked a full count before watching ball four go by, forcing in the go-ahead run in Goodall from third.



Brian Johnson was superb over the next two frames, allowing just one baserunner on a walk while striking out four Fire batters to set up Ronnie Lozada in the top of the ninth in a save situation.



Lozada, appearing for the first time in an Eagle uniform got two quick outs before Siegel singled to second base and mvoed to second on a wild throw by Robbins. But Lozada struck out Daniel Mims looking to end the game and send the Eagles to their fourth one-run victory.



Maloney pitched 5.2 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits while fanning five and Johnson finished by tossing 2.1 innings without allowing a hit and striking out four to earn his first win of the 2013 season. Lozada pitched the final frame for his first save as an Eagle.



Porter was tagged with the loss, giving up just one earned run in 5.1 innings with five strikeouts.



Jordan Johnson was the only Eagle with multiple hits while himself, Romero, Chastain and Robbins all collected RBIs.