CORTLAND, N.Y.--Lorraine Stoddard hit an RBI-single in the top of the seventh inning for the only run of the game as nationally No. 7-ranked Cortland State edged Plattsburgh State, 1-0, for the State University of New York Athletic Conference Softball Championship on Saturday at Red Dragon Field.

Host Cortland, also the SUNYAC regular-season champion, improve to 38-6 and earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Cardinals, who were the No. 2 SUNYAC seed, end their season at 25-16 under Coach Stephanie Zweig--the best record and most wins for a first-year head coach in the program's history.

Nicole Diemer, Erin Jamieson and Ashley Marshall represented Plattsburgh on the all-tournament team. Marshall (19-6) scattered six hits, all singles, allowed a run and struck out nine.

Tournament MVP Katie Finch of Cortland carried a no-hitter into the last of the seventh until Danielle Gjergji doubled off the center field wall with one out, narrowly clearing the park for a game-tying home run. Finch ended the Cardinals' scoring threat unscathed by striking out the final two batters. She finished with 11 strikeouts and a walk while improving her record to 25-2.

Jillian Serraro (Oneonta); Ona Halladay (Brockport); Kelly Briscoe (Brockport); Donnalyn Cross (Cortland); Lorraine Stoddard (Cortland); Katie Fusco (Cortland); and Emily Ringen (Cortland) rounded out the SUNYAC All-Tournament Team.

Earlier in the day, Plattsburgh nipped Brockport 2-0 in eight innings to earn the right to play in the championship round.

Diemer and Jamieson had RBI singles in the top of the eighth to break a scoreless tie.

Marshall tossed a three-hitter for the complete-game shutout, getting 13 strikeouts with two walks.