Oswego, N.Y. - The Plattsburgh State Softball team (11-15, 7-7) earned a split with Oswego State (9-22, 4-10) early on Monday, winning the first game 6-2, before losing 8-0 in the final game of the twin bill. The Cardinals currently sit in fifth place in the standings, as the top six teams make the cut for the SUNYAC playoffs that will occur next weekend, May 5-8. 

Kelsy Waite (Winthrop, NY/ St. Lawrence Central) and Claire Palmer (Suffern, NY/Suffern) each had multi-hit efforts for the Cards, with Waite driving in two runs and Palmer scoring once. Julia Golino (Mt. Sinai, NY/ Mt. Sinai) was once again strong in the circle, throwing seven strong innings without giving up an earned run and striking out eight Lakers. 

Game One: Plattsburgh 6, Oswego 2

Plattsburgh State got off to a tough start in game one, as Oswego was able to score two unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning, putting the Cardinals at a disadvantage almost immediately. 

The Cards were able to get a run back in the third inning when the team scored an unearned run of their own, as Danielle Torres (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) reached on an error and Alex McKearin (Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane) came home to score as a result of the play. 

As Plattsburgh struggled to get the big hit they needed to take a lead, Golino had settled in and was rolling, as the Lakers did not get a runner past second base from the second inning on. Golino struck out the side in the second inning and totaled eight strikeouts over her seven innings of work, allowing just four hits and one walk. 

The Cardinal offense finally broke through in the sixth inning, as the team sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Back-to-back errors and a Palmer infield single loaded the bases to start the frame, and Kristen Langdon (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Balston Lake) tied the game up with an infield hit of her own, reaching on a ball hit to short. After a popout, Kristina Maggiacomo (South Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) drove a ball to center, plenty deep enough for the speedy Alexa Murray (Port Jefferson Station, NY/Comsewogue) to score on the sac fly. With two outs, Sam Gentile (Highland, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) and Waite each had important two-out run-scoring singles for insurance, as Gentile singled up the middle to score one, and Waite singled to score two soon after. 

Now holding a four-run lead, Golino breezed through the final two innings, stranding a runner at first in both innings to earn her fifth win of the season, tying for the team lead. In conference play, Golino has a microscopic 1.22 ERA in five games started and is 3-1 with two complete-game shutouts. 

Game Two: Oswego 8, Plattsburgh 0

After a strong win in game one, Plattsburgh couldn't find their offensive groove while Oswego found theirs, outhitting the Cardinals 10-2 and scoring eight runs. 

Palmer and Diller recorded the only hits for the Cardinals in the loss, as Diller recorded a double and Palmer had a base hit in the first inning. In the first inning, the Cards had runners on second and third with no outs, but could not bring a runner home. Oswego responded in the bottom half of the inning scoring three runs, eventually scoring four more in the fifth, and one in the sixth to run-rule Plattsburgh State. 

Fiona Higgins was excellent in game two for the Lakers, tossing six scoreless, two-hit innings while also driving in three runs with two hits at the plate.

The Cardinals will head to Middlebury tomorrow at 3:30 pm for a non-conference doubleheader with Middlebury College.