PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Plattsburgh State Softball split a pair of extra-inning non-conference games with Clarkson University on Wednesday at Cardinal Park. Plattsburgh State won the first game, 7-6, in eight innings, before dropping game two, 5-3, in nine innings.
 
In Plattsburgh State's game one win, sophomore pitcher Julia Golino (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) earned her first career victory.
 
With the split, Plattsburgh State is now 4-6 on the season and Clarkson is 12-6.

Game 1: Plattsburgh State 7, Clarkson 6 (8 Inn.)

Trailing 6-5, Plattsburgh State scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete a 7-6 walk-off victory over Clarkson University in game one.
 
The Cardinals' game-winning rally began when first-year third baseman Kaitlin Smith (New Windsor, N.Y./Washingtonville) and sophomore right fielder Alexa Murray (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) reached base on singles to put runners on first and second base with nobody out. After the next batter struck out, Smith and Murray advanced to second and third base, respectively, on a passed ball. Sophomore first baseman Rebecca Diller (Halfmoon, N.Y./Shenendehowa) then tied the game at 6-6 when she hit a ground ball to the shortstop. The shortstop threw the ball home on the play, but failed to get the out as Smith scored. After Diller stole second base to put runners on second and third base, senior second baseman Bella Spadinger (Loudonville, N.Y./Shaker) drove in the game-winning run as she laced a single through the right side of the infield to score Murray and give the Cardinals the 7-6 victory in eight innings.
 
Golino (1-3), who pitched a complete game for Plattsburgh State, earned her first career victory. Golino held Clarkson to six runs (four earned) on seven hits over eight innings pitched. She struck out a career-high eight batters and walked one.
 
The Cardinals took a 4-0 lead with four runs in the second inning, featuring a two-run single off the bat of Murray. The Cardinals also took advantage of a Clarkson defensive miscue as two runs came home when Diller reached base on an error by the shortstop.
 
Clarkson would battle back and score the next five runs to take a 5-4 lead over Plattsburgh State. The Golden Knights scored two runs in the third inning on a triple off the bat of right fielder Olivia Zoeller, and three more runs in the sixth inning on an RBI triple by third baseman Kayla Robert, an RBI double by left fielder Sarah Vaccaro and an RBI single by first baseman Alyssa Schaechinger.
 
Plattsburgh State answered back to tie the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore center fielder Kristen Langdon (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) drove in graduate student left fielder Frannie Merkel (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) with a single through the right side of the infield.
 
Neither team scored in the seventh inning and the game entered extra innings where Vaccaro homered down the left-field line to give Clarkson a 6-6 lead in the top of the eighth inning.
 
The stage was set for the Cardinals' eighth inning rally as they completed the 7-6 walk-off victory.
 
Emily McBath (1-2) pitched a 7 1/3 inning complete game in defeat for Clarkson. McBath allowed seven runs (two earned) on 12 hits. She struck out four and walked three.
   
Game 2: Clarkson 5, Plattsburgh State 3 (9 Inn.)

Sophomore Kristina Maggiacomo (South Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) pitched a nine-inning complete game, but Plattsburgh State dropped game two of its doubleheader with Clarkson University, 5-3.
 
Clarkson got on the scoreboard first with an unearned run in the first inning to make the score 1-0.
 
Neither Maggiacomo or Riley Page, who started in the circle for Clarkson, would allow another run until the fifth inning when Clarkson scored a single run on a RBI single by Robert to take a 2-0 lead. However, Plattsburgh State broke through with two runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Sophomore first baseman Kelsy Waite (Winthrop, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) drove in a run on an RBI single. Later in the inning, Merkel laid down a beautiful bunt that scored junior pinch runner Gabby Rodriguez (Albany, N.Y./Albany) from third base as Merkel reached on a fielder's choice.
 
The Cardinals would then take a 3-2 lead on an RBI single to right field by Waite in the sixth inning.

However, Plattsburgh State would not score again and Clarkson tied the game at 3-3 with a run on a fielder's choice by Robert in the seventh inning.
 
The game would go into extra innings and Clarkson scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to take a 5-3 lead. Catcher Maddie Brink drove in the winning run on a single up the middle and right fielder Katy Aldous drove in the final run on a sacrifice fly to center field.   
 
Zoeller (9-1), who pitched the final four innings for Clarkson, tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning to finish the game. Zoeller allowed one run on three hits, while striking out 10 and walking none to earn the victory. Page pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits. Page walked one and did not record a strikeout.
 
Maggiacomo (3-3) was charged with five runs (two earned) on 12 hits in a 143-pitch nine-inning complete-game performance. She struck out a career-high 10 batters and walked one.