Delgado defeats No. 10 Chipola 8-6 to improve to 3-1 on opening weekend

PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLORIDA – Delgado defeated nationally ranked Chipola Sunday in an 8-6 win to close out the Dolphins’ opening weekend of the season at the 2023 Visit Panama City Beach College Classic.

Brock Slaton singled to leadoff the second inning and advanced on a walk by Jake Kaufmann. Slaton scored on a double by Eric Hebert and Kaufmann scored on a single by Cade Pregeant as the Dolphins took an early 2-0 lead through two innings. Chipola plated four runs in the third inning on five singles to take the 4-2 lead.

In the bottom of the third, Jacob Singletary led off with a single and Brock Slaton and Davis Stephens walked to load the bases. Jake Kaufmann singled to score Singletary and a wild pitch scored Slaton. Bryan Broussard’s walk plated Slaton to give Delgado the 5-4 lead.

Chipola answered with a run in the fourth to tie the game at five.

In the Dolphin fifth, Cade Pregeant doubled to lead off the inning and advanced on a fielder’s choice that allowed Broussard to reach base. Both runs scored on a double by Josh Alexander to give Delgado the lead. Alexander advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Cole Stromboe’s pinch hit sacrifice fly.

The Indians added their sixth and final run on a solo homerun with two outs in the seventh before Connor Matherne closed the game to earn the save in Delgado’s 8-6 win over #10-ranked Chipola.

Delgado reliever Cory Cook picked up his first win of the season by pitching the fifth inning in relief of starter Kyle St.Pierre (3.0 IP), and Aidan Murphy (1.0 IP). Connor Matherne closed the game’s final two innings.

With the win, Delgado (3-1) captures its third straight win and improves to 3-1 on its young season having faced three-nationally ranked teams in its first four games of the season this weekend, two of which were in the nation’s top ten in the NJCAA Division I pre-season poll.

Delgado will host Pensacola State College at 2:00 Saturday in the Dolphins’ home opener at “Rags” Scheuermann Field at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium.