HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - Stetson Nelson was solid and Zac Grotz was nearly perfect as Embry-Riddle held off the University of South Carolina Beaufort, 3-2 on Friday afternoon, starting the key Sun Conference series off with a victory. The Eagles (19-12, 7-5) took a 2-0 lead before the Sand Sharks (22-10, 9-7) tied things up in the sixth, but it was a Kyle Buchanan sac fly in the seventh that proved to be the difference as the Blue and Gold stretched its winning streak to six against USCB.

Nelson and USCB's Junior Delatorre were as good as expected early on, neither allowing a runner into scoring position until the third. Nelson got double plays in the first, second and fourth innings and picked off a runner in the third to keep the Sand Sharks off the scoreboard.

Liam Goodall collected his second hit of the day to start the fourth, moving to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Enderson Velasquez before scoring on an RBI fielder's choice by Joshua Garcia.

After a quick fifth inning for both starters, the Eagles struck again in the sixth. Tobias Moreno reached on a error by the left fielder, moving to second on the miscue before scoring on a Goodall single to right, making it 2-0 in favor of the visitors.

Nelson ran into trouble in the home sixth, giving up three straight hits, including two doubles as USCB knotted the game at 2-2. The senior lefty was able to keep the damage at just two runs by striking out Johnny Cole and inducing a harmless ground ball from Alex Bonilla to end the threat.

It didn't take the Eagles long to answer USCB, as Embry-Riddle put a runner at third thanks to another USCB error and a Hunter Bruehl single through the right side. Kyle Zirbes, running for Dalton Hughes after the ERAU catcher reached on an error, scored when Buchanan lifted a Delatorre pitch to deep center, touching home for a 3-2 ERAU lead. Embry-Riddle threatened for more, putting runners at second and third with two outs, but Delatorre fanned Jake Cavender to end the inning.

Nelson delivered a shutdown inning in the last of the seventh and his team loaded the bases in the eighth in hopes of adding an insurance run or two, but Blake Drew, who entered for Delatorre with two outs got Bruehl to ground out to second to end the frame.

After getting two outs, Nelson was lifted for Grotz after Saldivar singled to right center, and the Eagle closer did battle with Ashly Morris before striking out the USCB shortstop to move the contest to the ninth.

Cole started the ninth with a single off Grotz, but Grotz didn't waiver, striking out the next three Sand Shark batters to earn the save and preserve the victory.

Nelson (3-2) got the win, throwing 7.2 innings, scattering two runs and eight hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Grotz got his sixth save of the year with 1.1 innings, all four outs coming via strikeouts.

Delatorre (4-2) was saddled with the loss, going 7.2 innings with six hits and three runs (one earned) against him while fanning six. Drew worked 1.1 innings of relief.

Goodall finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Cavender, Velasquez, Bruehl and Buchanan were the only other Eagles to collect hits.

The Eagles and Sand Sharks meet up again tomorrow, Saturday, March 21 in a twin bill starting at 12 p.m.