STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
CORTLAND — Fifth-seeded Buffalo State rallied with four runs in the seventh inning to erase a 3-0 deficit, but No. 4 Plattsburgh answered in the bottom of the inning to claim a 5-4 victory today in the opening round of the double-elimination SUNYAC Championships today at Cortland.
Laura Crooks (Niagara Falls/Niagara Wheatfield) was 3 for 4 for Buffalo State, and Nicole Adams (Lockport/Starpoint) added a double and an RBI. Allie Block (N. Tonawanda/Starpoint) took the loss in the circle, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs with four strikeouts. The Cardinals opened the scoring with a pair of singles that resulted in two runs in the fifth inning, and then extended the lead with a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning. Block led off the seventh inning with a walk and Adams doubled to put the Bengals on the board. Kaelee Lynch (Atwater, CA/Buhach Colony) followed that with a run scoring single to cut the deficit to 3-2. After a pair of strikeouts, the Bengals drew another walk. Crooks loaded the bases and the Plattsburgh issued two more walks to Cassandra O’Hern (Augusta, NJ/High Point) and Danielle Szymkowiak (Cheektowaga/Cheektowaga) to push across the tying and go-ahead runs. Plattsburgh’s first two batters in the bottom of the seventh inning, but it followed a solo-home run with back-to-back doubles for the walk-off win.
Buffalo State is scheduled to face top-seeded Cortland Friday at 9 a.m. (weather permitting). The Red Dragons defeated Oneonta 11-3 in five innings in the tournament’s opening game.
