The St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team won its third straight game, a 4-1 triumph over West Virginia State University in Wilson, North Carolina. The game was the first of four in this weekend's trip. With the win, the Spartans improve to 4-1 on the season, with WVSU dropping to 1-4.

Matt Kostolos yielded just one unearned run in going the distance, Giovanni Dingcong went 4-for-5, and Deven del Priore came through with a big two-run single in the Spartans' win.

West Virginiia State plated its only run in the home 1st inning thanks to a STAC error. Tyler Patane's run-scoring single brought in Joe Signore to tie the score in the 2nd. Kostolos locked horns with Yellow Jackets' starter Tyler Hall as each threw zeroes from there through seven innings.

West Virginia State went to the pen and the Spartans took advantage in the 8th, as Dingcong and Rich Cesca, Jr. each singled off reliever Will Ore. Signore followed with a single to load the bases, and Michael Morgan's grounder brought in the eventual winning run. With two down, del Priore provided the insurance with a big single.

That was more than enough for Kostolos, who struck out the side in the 8th and added two more in a 1-2-3 9th to close out the win. The right-hander scattered six hits and didn't walk a batter while earning his first win of the season. STAC's offense banged out 14 hits in taking the decision.

The Spartans return to action with two games on Saturday, facing Clarion at 10:00 pm and Fairmont State at 2:30. The weekend set concludes on Sunday against West Virginia State in a 2:30 pm start.

- Steve Balsan, St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information

- Photo by Dorice Arden