GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO)-- No.8 San Jacinto survived a late game scare to beat No.9 Shelton State 7-6 on Thursday.

The Gators out of Texas raced out to an early lead scoring six runs in the top of the second inning.Four of the those runs were courtesy of Justin Byrd, who hit a grand-slam in that inning. San Jacinto, however; would score only one more run for the rest of the game.

Shelton State was held scoreless until the top of the fifth, when they sneaked in one run. The Buccaneers then rattled off five runs in the top of the seventh to put pressure on the Gators. That was all Shelton could do as San Jacinto's closer, A.J. Glasshof, shut down the Buccaneers in the last two and one-third innings.

No matter the outcome of the Gordon College and Iowa Western game, San Jacinto will play Gordon College on Friday at 7:30pm.

Shelton State is eliminated from the 2012 Junior College World Series.