PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State softball team hosted SUNY Potsdam in its regular season finale, defeating the Bears 2-1 and 4-3 on Saturday afternoon.
It was also senior day for the Cardinals, who celebrated the accomplishments of their only senior, pitcher
Morgan Anderson.
Game 1: Plattsburgh State 2, SUNY Potsdam 1 (8 inn.)
It was a pitchers duel in game one on Saturday. Both Bears starter Sami Hubinsky and Cardinal starter
Morgan Anderson went the distance in the extra inning affair.
Potsdam was first to break the scoreless tie in the third inning when Carina Chirinko doubled to scored Jordan Ott.
Two innings later, the Cardinals tied up the game on a
Kaitlyn Preiss single through the left side that scored
Samantha Railey.
Both teams continued the duel as seven innings was not enough to decide a winner between the Cardinals and Bears.
In the eighth, it was Plattsburgh State who kept the Bears off the board in the top of the inning, and then loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame.
With one out,
Amy Glashoff singled down the left field line to score the game winning run for Plattsburgh State.
Maybe it was because it was senior day, but Cardinal Pitcher
Morgan Anderson arguably had her best outing of the season, giving up one run and striking out nine batters in getting the victory.
Kaitlyn Preiss paced the Cardinals at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Game 2: Plattsburgh State 4, SUNY Potsdam 3
It was a tight contest again in game two Saturday, a game that looked like it might be heading into extras again.
Plattsburgh State held a 1-0 lead for a better part of the contest. A third inning double for
Jennifer Groat and brought home
Anna Fisher.
In the fifth it was Groat again. However this time, with two runners on, the Ballston Spa, N.Y., native hammered a pitch to deep left center field for a three-run home run that have the Cardinals a four run advantage, while the Bears still had not found a way to push a run across.
The Cardinals seemed to have a few late game nerves, allowing the Bears to get back in the game in the sixth inning.
Potsdam finally got a grip on Cardinals pitcher
Katie Pitkin, and scored three runs in doing so.
Entering the top of the seventh, the Bears were knocking on the door. Getting a runner on with no outs, Plattsburgh State responded by playing defense and were able to avoid having to play in the final frame.
Pitkin had a nice outing for the Cardinals, giving up one earned run and striking out seven in going the distance.
Groat and
Anna Fisher were the only Cardinals register multiple hits. Groat finshed with a team high four RBI.
With the wins, the Cardinals finish the regular season at 25-15 overall, and 13-5 in the SUNYAC. The Bears drop to 13-26 and 3-15 in conference.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals will participate in the SUNYAC postseason for the first time in two seasons as the No. 2 seed, and will play fifth seeded New Paltz at tournament host Cortland on Thursday at 11 a.m.
