Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 CLERMONT, Fla. – After a slow start to the 2016 season, the Plattsburgh State softball team found a groove to close out its spring break trip to The Sunshine State and head into SUNYAC conference play with an 8-6 record.
 
The Cardinals started the week on a four game skid, with losses to the Sage Colleges 6-3, Concordia (Wis.) 2-0, Heidelberg University 5-2, and Western New England College 12-4.
 
Perhaps Plattsburgh State needed some time to mesh. That came slowly but surely as the Cardinals picked up their first win of the season in a 12-4 win over Stevenson University. Both Jennifer Groat and Jackie Decker went 2-3 against the Mustangs. Groat tallied a home run and brought in five RBI in the win.
 
Plattsburgh collected its next win against Fitchburg State in a 5-1 decision. Sophomore pitcher Katie Pitkin was kryptonite to the Falcons, logging all seven innings on the mound and only allowing two hits. Pitkin struck out five and gave up one unearned run.
 
The Cardinals dropped their next two games to Anderson University 5-1 and Wesleyan University 7-5. Plattsburgh State struggled offensively, unable to score early, while both Anderson and Wesleyan tallied runs within the first couple of innings that made the difference in the end.
 
Not knowing it at the time, these would be the last losses for the Cardinals in Florida, who responded to the setbacks by winning six straight games to close out the trip.
 
The streak started in dramatic fashion against Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham on St. Patty's Day. Bottom of the eighth inning, no score and two runners on base for the Cardinals. It was the heroics of Amanda Tantillo who clobbered a three run homer to win 3-0 in walk-off fashion.
 
Cardinal senior Morgan Anderson was on the mound for all eight innings, allowing only four hits.
 
Plattsburgh State kept rolling, defeating Babson College 5-3 and D'Youville College 7-3. The Cardinals then beat Ripon College in six innings due to the eight run rule, in which the Cardinals won 9-1. Pitkin and Taylor Smith each saw time on the mound, and collectively kept Ripon to just three hits.
The final two games in Florida saw the Cardinal offence score 17 runs against RIT and Union College.
 
Plattsburgh State needed all 10 runs against RIT, as it surrendered eight. Hope VanBrocklin doubled to bring in three runs and Kelsey Kage tripled for four RBI to push Cardinals past RIT.
 
The Cardinals shut out Union College on the last day in Florida. Amanda Tantillo collected her fourth home run, went 2-4 from the plate and knocked in five RBI.
 
Pitkin was solid in her final outing on spring break, striking out seven while allowing two hits in going all seven innings.
 
The Cardinals overcame their 0-4 start of the season, and now sit at 8-6 overall.
 
Plattsburgh will have some down time in the coming weeks, and conference play will pick up on April 1 when the Cardinals travel to Fredonia.