CORTLAND, N.Y.--The Plattsburgh State softball team earned a 3-2 come-from-behind win in 9 innings Thursday over No. 5 seed College at Brockport at Red Dragon Field in the opening round of the State University of New York Athletic Conference Championship Tournament.

The second-seeded Cardinals (23-14) advance to the winners' bracket game at 11 a.m. Friday versus No. 3 Oneonta, which was a 5-2 winner against No. 4 Geneseo in another first round matchup. The Golden Eagles (30-11) will play New Paltz in an elimination game later today.

Nicole Diemer tied it 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run single to left field and Diana Garces drove in the winning run with one out in the ninth on a sacrifice bunt to score Dana Mandery from third base.

Freshman Ashley Marshall was outstanding in throwing a complete-game win to improve to 17-5. She scattered six hits, allowed two runs and walked two while striking out a career-high 16 batters, which is one shy of the school record at Plattsburgh. 

The Cardinals outhit Brockport 9 to 6. Danielle Gjergji and Katie McNally led the team with two apiece. One of McNally's hits was a double off the left-field wall in the seventh that nearly was a game-tying home run until Diemer delivered the timely hit that sent the game into extra innings.

Brockport's pitcher Stephanie Geer (16-5) was solid despite being tagged with the loss. She scattered nine hits, gave up three runs and struck out nine without issuing a walk.

Nikki Odrobina and Ona Halladay had two hits each for the Golden Eagles, who took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a single by Halladay.

Jenna Yates made it 2-0 in the sixth when she had an RBI groundout to the shortstop.