ST. LEO, Fla. - A nine-run third inning was the difference at Southard Stadium on Friday night as Saint Leo downed Embry-Riddle, 14-6 to take the series opener from the Eagles. SLU (19-13) cruised to the eight-run win behind 17 hits against the ERAU (21-12) pitching staff.

The Eagles looked poised to take an early lead after Tobias Moreno singled to start the game before stealing second, but Enderson Velasquez lined into a double play, despite hitting an 0-2 pitch on the screws, right at the SLU third baseman.

Nick Dearing went three-up, three-down in the bottom of the first, but the Lions would take a 1-0 lead in the second when Michael Mann singled off of Dearing's leg, scoring Alex Mata from third.

Liam Goodall tied things up in the top of the third with a single to left, scoring Zach Howard after Howard singled, moved to second on a Cody Bogart bunt and then third on a Moreno groundout. However, the bottom of the inning proved to be the Eagles' undoing as Saint Leo sent 13 batters to the plate, scoring nine runs to go up 10-1 on the Blue and Gold.

The visitors tried to make a game of it in the fifth when Moreno singled in a run before two more scored on a throwing error. Velasquez singled to center to plate Moreno, cutting the deficit to 10-5, but the Lions answered right back with three runs in the home-half of the inning to keep the momentum in their dugout.

Each team added a run in the late innings to account for the 14-6 final.

Moreno was a bright spot for the Eagles, finishing 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Velasquez went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

The two teams are scheduled to finish the series with a twin bill beginning at 1 p.m. tomorrow, but inclement weather is likely and will possibly cause changes in the schedule. Check www.erauathletics.com and @ERAUBaseball on twitter for up-to-date schedule information.