WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Palm Beach Atlantic baseball dropped their opening weekend finale on Sunday afternoon, falling to No. 1 ranked Delta State by a 10-5 score.  The Statesman used a three-run third inning and a four-run fourth inning to slug their way to the win.  PBA falls to 1-2 with the loss to the top-ranked Statesman.

Sailfish junior Johnnie Schneider took the hill on Sunday afternoon, and did a nice job working in and out of trouble in the first inning to hold DSU to just one run.  After an easy 1-2-3 second from Schneider, shortstop Rylie Herold cranked his first homer of the season to tie the game at one run each.

The third inning is where Delta Sate flexed their muscles, as reigning NCBWA National Player of the Year Zach Shannon cranked a 3-2 curveball over the left-field wall for a three-run home run.  An inning later it was Brian Lane joining in on the fun, as Lane crushed a grand slam to left field as DSU opened up an 8-1 lead.

The 'Fish tried to fight back however, as Eddie Vicinanza drove in two runs in the fourth inning on a single up the middle, and Evan Dougherty hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 8-4. 

Delta State added a couple insurance runs off the Sailfish bullpen to take a 10-4 lead into the ninth, when Jake Summey hit his first home run of the season to make the final score 10-5 on Sunday.

Dougherty continued his hot start to the season, as the senior now has multiple hits in all three games for the 'Fish.  Hakeem Rhodes had a nice day at the plate himself, as he finished 2-for-4 at the plate.  Freshman Sean Houck picked up a hit on Sunday, as he has now singled in all three games this season.

The Sailfish will now start a long road trip, which will begin this Thursday, Feb. 8 against North Greenville University.  The next game at J.M. "Jake" Rubin Park will not be until Feb. 27 as the Sailfish will host Florida Tech.