KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Play continued at the Sunshine State Games on Wednesday and the Wayne State University baseball program (8-6 overall) avoided a three-game losing streak with a 9-5 victory over Pace (5-2-1 overall).  The Warriors scored two runs in the first, four runs in the third, two runs in the fourth inning and another in the sixth to win by four.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Pace struck first with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.  The Warriors answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame.  Devin Rose (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's) began the inning with an infield single before Jacob Finkbeiner (Saline, Mich.) drew a walk and Brad Baldwin (Troy, Mich. / Bishop Foley Catholic) singled up the middle to score Rose.  Tristen Jorah (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Sterling Heights Stevenson) tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single into center field.

- A lead-off home run from Justin Kelly (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South) to right field in the bottom of the third inning gave WSU a 3-2 lead.  The bats stayed hot as Michael Toth (Northville, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central) tripled home Ryan Mergener (Portage, Mich. / Portage Central) and Zach Girard (Sleepy Hollow, Ill. / Dundee Crown) followed with an RBI single.  Rose made it three straight run-producing hits with an RBI double into right field, extending WSU's advantage to 6-2.

- Two more runs scored in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Mergener double to center field.  The Setters scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning with a two-run single to trim the deficit to 8-4.  A pinch-hit single by Troy Daring Jr. (Brampton, Ont.) and another base hit from Patrick Adams (Detroit, Mich. / De La Salle) began the bottom of the sixth inning and led to a sacrifice fly off the bat of Toth to produce WSU's ninth and final run of the day.  A hit, a walk and an error produced a run for Pace in the top of the seventh inning to bring the Setters within four, 9-5.

AT THE PLATE
- Rose finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Baldwin and Kelly collected two hit games.  Mergener and Toth posted two-RBI performances.

ON THE MOUND
- Brandon Williams (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson) (2-0) was effective in his first career start, allowing four earned runs over six innings with six strikeouts.  Brendan Wetmore (Westland, Mich. / John Glenn) worked 1/3 of an inning, while Jack Schmidt (Fishers, Ind. / Indianapolis Cathedral) and allowed an earned run in his 2/3 of an inning.  Brennan Cox (Taylor, Mich. / Riverview Gabriel Richard) and Taylor Horn (Leo, Ind.) both worked perfect innings with Horn striking out the side.

UP NEXT
- After an off day on Thursday, WSU will conclude its Spring Break trip to Florida with two games on Friday.  Game one against Mansfield will start at 10:30 a.m. before the Warriors meet Slippery Rock for the second time this season at 4:00 p.m.