After a messy start, Wayne Valley cleaned things up in its first-round baseball state tournament game against Eastside. The top-seeded Indians dug out of an early deficit and went on to defeat the Ghosts, 7-3.

Mike D'Amato pitched a complete game for Wayne Valley, striking out seven while allowing seven hits. He also drove in a run for the Indians.

Eastside got two unearned runs in the first inning, thanks in large part to two Valley errors. But the Indians played much better defense the rest of the way, turning a crucial double play in the fourth and cutting down a runner at third base in the fifth.

Eric Van Assen and Anthony Simone had RBI doubles for the Indians. Chris Santaniello had a two-run single as Wayne Valley scored three runs in the fourth inning to break up a tie game.

Brayan Rodriguez drove in two runs for Eastside, the 16th seed in North 1, Group IV.

Wayne Valley hosts eighth seed Ridgewood in a second-round state game on Friday, then plays again Saturday in the Passaic County semifinals against Pompton Lakes.

For sports video highlights of this baseball tournament game, click play in the box at left.