Cortland, N.Y. –  The Plattsburgh State Softball team lost two heartbreakers on Friday night, losing in extra innings twice to SUNY Cortland. The games were extremely well pitched with the Red Dragons winning by final scores of 3-1 and 1-0.
 
The Cardinals had great pitching throughout, starting with the effort of Kristina Maggiacomo (South Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) in game one, as she went seven frames giving up one run, before running out of stream in the top of the eighth when Cortland won a walk-off homerun. In game two first-year Mikayla Manalo (Holtsville, NY/Sachem East) was excellent, as she did not allow a run through her first six innings of work before allowing a run in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Game One: Cortland 3, Plattsburgh 1
 
Maggiacomo was excellent in game on for the Cardinals, as she kept the team in the game throughout her start, as the team struggled against the Cortland starter through her first six innings. Before the seventh inning began, Plattsburgh managed only two hits as Karlee Weeden cruised through the first six frames.
 
The Cards offense got going when it absolutely needed to in the top of the seventh, as Kelsy Waite (Winthrop, NY/St. Lawrence Central) began the inning with a walk. With two outs, Kristen Langdon (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) singled to short, beating out the throw with Waite advancing to third on the throw as well. With the game on the line, first-year Claire Palmer (Suffern, NY/Suffern) laced a long drive up the middle that the pitcher nearly snagged, but it ricocheted off her glove and was nearly caught by the Cortland shortstop, but the ball fell to the ground. Waite easily scored on the play, tying the game at one run a piece, eventually sending the game into extra innings.
 
The Red Dragons added two runs in the bottom of the eighth to win the game, as Lizzy Byers hit a walk-off homerun to win the game.
 
Julia Golino (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) had a single for the Cardinals and Waite reached all four times as she singled, was hit twice, and walked as well.
 
Cortland's starter Weeden finished with an eight-inning complete game, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out seven.
 
Game Two: Cortland 1, Plattsburgh 0
 
Manalo was excellent in her fifth career start, as the first-year held the Red Dragons scoreless through six total innings of work. Golino relieved in the middle of this game as well, tossing two scoreless innings of her own.
 
In this game, both teams struggled to get runners in, as the Cardinals stranded 13 runners and Cortland stranded 11. The Red Dragons totaled 10 hits, while Plattsburgh only had three, but drew six walks and forced four Cortland errors.
 
The Cardinals had possibly their best chance to score in the top of the seventh when the Red Dragons gifted the team two baserunners on back-to-back errors with no outs. After a successful sacrifice bunts, the team had two runners in scoring position but could not bring a run across.
 
Cortland finally scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the ninth as they had three hits in the inning, with the final one being a walk-off single.
 
Langdon, Alexa Murray (Port Jefferson Station, NY/Comswogue), and Dolly Garguilo (Monroe, NY/Washingtonville) each had hits in the nightcap. Waite reached two more times in game two, as she reached base six times in eight appearances on the day.
 
Lindsey Richards earned the win for Cortland in relief, going five scoreless innings while striking out nine batters.  
 
The Cardinals will head to Oswego State for a SUNYAC doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 12 p.m.