GENESEO, N.Y. – The fifth-seeded Plattsburgh State softball team staved off elimination on day one of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament Thursday at SUNY Geneseo's Raschi Field, as the Cardinals bounced back from a 7-2 loss to second-seeded SUNY Cortland in their tournament opener with a 5-4 walk-off win in eight innings over sixth-seeded Buffalo State in an elimination game.
 
Plattsburgh State moves to 19-18 overall with the results, while Cortland rises to 20-17 overall and Buffalo State ends its season at 11-20 overall. The Cardinals continue action at the SUNYAC Tournament at 1 p.m. tomorrow against an opponent to be determined.
 
Game 1: Cortland 7, Plattsburgh State 2
 
Cortland scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull out the victory in the SUNYAC Tournament opener for both teams.
 
After four scoreless innings, Plattsburgh State broke the ice with one run in the fifth, as junior catcher Anna Fisher (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) singled through the left side to drive in senior designated player Kelsey Gage (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush). The Cardinals made it a 2-0 game in the sixth, as senior right fielder Amanda Tantillo (Florida, N.Y./S.S. Seward) drove in freshman second baseman Shannon Myles (Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur) with an RBI groundout.
 
Cortland led off the sixth by loading the bases, and freshman right fielder Taylor Felicello put the Red Dragons on the board with an RBI single to left field. Sophomore second baseman Tori Scharff gave Cortland the lead with a two-run double, while freshman catcher Cailey Cuttita drove in two more runs on a single to center field. Cuttita scored on a dropped fly before sophomore center fielder Kelly O'Gorman capped off the surge with an RBI single through the right side.
 
The Cardinals were unable to draw any closer in the top of the seventh, and the Red Dragons came away with the win.
 
Junior shortstop Kaitlyn Preiss (Cornwall, N.Y./Cornwall), junior first baseman Jennifer Groat (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) and Fisher each had a hit for the Plattsburgh State, while O'Gorman batted 2-for-2 with a run scored and a stolen base to lead Cortland.
 
Senior pitcher Katie Pitkin (Dexter, N.Y./General Brown) scattered just two hits in the loss, working five innings. Junior pitcher Sam Van Dorn yielded two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks in the win for Cortland.

Game 2: Plattsburgh State 5, Buffalo State 4 (8 inn.)
 
Fisher hit a walk-off sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Cardinals to a 5-4 victory over Buffalo State in an elimination game.

Senior center fielder Felicia Torres (Middletown, N.Y./Pine Bush) scored the first run of the game on a dropped fly ball in the bottom of the second before Buffalo State took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third. Junior shortstop Jenna Blujus tied the game with an RBI single to right field before junior third baseman Cassie O'Hern gave the Bengals the lead by drawing a bases-loaded walk. Junior first baseman Hannah Dunlap scored on a wild pitch to extend the advantage to 3-1.

Senior left fielder Dominique Zummo (Commack, N.Y./St. Anthony's) cut the gap to 3-2 with an RBI single to left field in the third, while Groat gave Plattsburgh State the lead in the home half of the fifth. Groat hit an RBI double to left center and later scored on a wild pitch to hand Plattsburgh State a 4-3 cushion.
 
Buffalo State tied the game in the top of the seventh, scoring a run on a throwing error. With the go-ahead run on second base, the Cardinals forced a fly out to center field before inducing an infield popup to end the inning.
 
Zummo started off the bottom of the eighth with a single to right field before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Junior Jennifer Sarcone (Centereach, N.Y./Newfield) came in to pinch run before Gage was intentionally walked. Senior Taylor Smith (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville) came off the bench to pinch hit and came up with a timely hit, blasting a single to deep left-center field to load the bases. That set the stage for Fisher, whose flyout to center field was deep enough to plate Sarcone.
 
Offensively, Groat went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two doubles and an RBI, while Zummo batted 2-for-3 with an RBI. For Buffalo State, senior left fielder Justine Silva led the way by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
 
Pitkin earned the win in the circle, allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out three. Buffalo State's senior pitcher Nicole Adams was tagged with the loss, permitting five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and three walks while striking out one.