SETTERS FALL TO DELTA STATE IN OPENER OF THREE-GAME SERIES

CLEVELAND, MS- The Pace baseball team dropped the opener of a three-game series to Delta State 16-4 in non-conference action. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday and wrap up the series with one game on Sunday. The Setters fall to 2-2 on the season, while the Statesmen improve to 8-9 overall.

Delta State struck first, scoring three times in the first inning to take an early lead over the Setters. Pace answered right back in the top of the second as Joe Cotone (Yorktown Hts., NY/Lakeland) (Yorktown Heights, NY/Lakeland) and Vinny Dammann (Mullica Hill, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) (Mullica Hill, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) drew walks. Both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch and scored on a triple by Patrick Chaputian (Sea Cliff, NY/North Shore) (Sea Cliff, NY/North Shore). Denis Alimonti (Jefferson Valley, NY/Lakeland) (Jefferson Valley, NY/Lakeland) would tie game with a run scoring double to score Chaputian.

The Statesmen would push across four in the second and three more in the third inning to take a 10-3 lead after three innings of play. The Setters would tack on their final run of the game as Dammann would reach base on a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

On the mound, Zach Dayton (North Falmouth, MA/Falmouth) (North Falmouth, MA/North Falmouth) (1-1) pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing 10 runs (seven earned) on seven hits, while striking out two. Michael Franza (Lynbrook, NY/Lynbrook) (Lynbrook, NY/Lynbrook) tossed 2 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits, while Salvatore DePaola (East Meadow, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) (East Meadow, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) went the final 2 2/3 inning, allowing three runs on two hits and struck out three.

The teams return to action on Saturday, March 7 for a single game starting at 2 pm.