GREENVILLE — The East Carolina baseball team grinded its way to a 6-3 victory Thursday night in the series opener against Jacksonville.

Evan Kruczynski worked through 7 2/3 innings on the mound and junior Zach Mozingo picked up a pair of RBIs in a 3-for-4 performance. Mozingo was making just his second start of the season.

“I just wanted an opportunity and once I got it, I just stuck with my approach,” Mozingo said. “I try to be a tough out and drive guys in when I can.”

Mozingo was responsible for the game-winning run in the sixth inning. After a one-out double down the right field line by Travis Watkins, Mozingo took a 3-2 pitch back up the middle to plate Watkins. ECU took a 4-3 lead at the time and did not look back.

Mozingo scored later in the inning after Luke Bolka drew a bases-loaded walk from reliever Ryan Granada.

One inning later, Mozingo again came through for the Pirates as his two-out single plated Kirk Morgan and gave ECU a three-run cushion, 6-3.

Kruczynski was tagged for three runs (one earned) and eight hits in the outing. Jacksonville senior JJ Gould opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-out home run, his fourth of the season, to left field.

After two quick outs in the fifth inning, Nathan Koslowski singled to extend the inning. Seth DeWitt sent a routine ground ball to the right side of shortstop Turner Brown, but the freshman let the ball kick under his glove and the inning continued. The Dolphins took advantage with back-to-back RBI singles to score Koslowski and DeWitt and tie the game at three.

After seven innings of strong work from Kruczynski, the junior ran into trouble in his last frame. Kruczynski got Parker Perez to ground out to second baseman Charlie Yorgen, but the hot-hitting Austin Hays picked up his first hit of the day with a double. Kruczynski issued a free pass to the next batter and drew a fly out from the last batter he faced.

ECU head coach Cliff Godwin then called on sophomore Joe Ingle to retire the eighth inning. However, Ingle walked the first batter he faced to load the bases. Ingle buckled down, as he often does, and gassed up the next batter he faced to retire the side.

Ingle again painted himself into a corner in the ninth as he walked DeWitt before hitting Dakota Julylia with a pitch. The sophomore ended the game with a pair of groundouts and earned his fourth save of the season.

“He’s an adrenaline junkie,” Godwin said. “He needs to walk a guy before he can settle in. It’s never easy but he has a knack for getting himself out of it.”

Bryce Harman saw his bat come to life in the fourth inning as he drilled a first-pitch two-run home run onto the football practice fields beyond the right field fence. Harman said he was ready for the first-pitch fastball thrown his way and took advantage.

Harman limped his way into the game with a .241 batting average and just nine RBI. Expectations have continued to be difficult for the junior to reach, but Godwin vouched for his work ethic.

“Like I said earlier, it’s the hardest game to play on the planet,” Harman said. “You just have to stick with the process and everything will take care of itself if you work hard and prepare. I’ve been doing that and good things will happen, I know they will.”

Harman’s homer came of Jacksonville starter Nathan Disch, who entered the game with a 2.25 ERA and a 3-1 record. The Pirates jumped on the junior in the second inning as Mozingo picked up one of his three hits to start the frame. After a wild pitch moved him to second, Eric Tyler knocked Mozingo in with a single to right field.

The Pirates and Dolphins will play Friday before wrapping up the series Saturday afternoon.