ONEONTA, N.Y. - The Plattsburgh State softball team won both games against Oneonta on Friday afternoon, clinching a spot in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Playoffs with the doubleheader sweep. The bats came through in the clutch for the Cardinals, as the offense scored nine of their 16 total runs in the fifth inning or later. 

Kristina Maggiacomo (South Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) continued to get it done in the circle for Plattsburgh and at the plate, earning the game one win and totaling three hits on the day. Kristen Langdon (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) and Claire Palmer (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) each had three hits in game one and a hit in game two, as the pair also tallied one RBI on the day. 

Plattsburgh improves to 20-8 (9-5 SUNYAC) as they now have clinched the best record for the program since the 2017 season when they finished 25-19 (11-7 SUNYAC). They will get the weekend off before traveling to RPI on Tuesday, May 2 for a non-conference doubleheader. Oneonta falls to 13-18-1 (7-7 SUNYAC) as they next travel to Hamilton on Tuesday, May 2. 

Game One: Plattsburgh 7, Oneonta 5

The Plattsburgh State Cardinals scored five runs in the fifth and sixth innings to earn the SUNYAC victory and open up the twin bill on a strong note. Maggiacomo earned her eighth win of the season, matching the career high she set last season, as she went seven strong innings allowing just one earned run and six hits while walking none and striking out nine batters. The dual-threat also tallied two hits and drove in three runs as she doubled twice.

Palmer and Langdon each finished 3-4 atop the lineup with two runs scored, with Palmer adding an RBI in the game-one win. Kylie Persampire (Bellmore, N.Y./Wellington C. Mepham) added a two-run double for Plattsburgh, as her two-run hit gave the Cardinals the lead back in the fifth. 

The Cards opened the scoring in the first game of the day, with Maggiacomo doubling home Langdon in the first for an early 1-0 lead. Palmer tacked on another run in the following inning for Plattsburgh, scoring Gonzales with an RBI single to left. However, a two-run homer in the second tied the game at two for Oneonta, and a steal of home in the fourth gave them a one-run lead. 

After surrendering the lead in the fourth, the Cardinals were quick to respond, tying the game with an RBI single from Rebecca Diller (Halfmoon, N.Y./Shenendehowa) in the top of the fifth. In the next at-bat, Persampire smoked a double to deep left, scoring Julia Golino (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) and Gwen Noll (Massapequa, N.Y./St. Anthony's) to give the lead back to Plattsburgh. Maggiacomo added much needed insurance in the top of the sixth, as she plated Langdon and Palmer with a double to deep center to put her team up 7-3. 

After two unearned runs scored in the bottom of the sixth, Maggiacomo bounced back with a strong seventh inning to earn the win, retiring the Red Dragon batters in order and striking out the final batter of the game. 

Cadence Brennan took the loss for the Red Dragons with seven innings of work, surrendering 11 hits and five earned runs. Gianna Cancelleri was 2-3 for Oneonta, adding four RBI and a two-run homer for the Red Dragons. 

Game Two: Plattsburgh 9, Oneonta 6

The second game of the doubleheader saw more clutch hitting late from the Cardinal offense, as the team broke a 5-5 tie in the seventh with four runs to give themselves a season sweep over Oneonta. Golino earned her ninth win of the year, as she carries a pristine 9-1 record on the season for Plattsburgh. 

Gonzales, Diller, and Danielle Torres (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central) all collected two hits and two RBI for Plattsburgh, as the trio helped power the offense to the win. Gonzales doubled for the only extra-base hit for the Cards in the second game, also scoring a run, while Torres tallied a run for Plattsburgh as well. 

Plattsburgh took an early 5-0 lead in game two, as they picked up two runs in the first and three runs in the second inning. Diller and Gonzales each singled home runs in the first, while Langdon singled home a run in the second, and another run scored on an error from the Oneonta catcher. The second inning was capped by a Maggiacomo RBI single, as Plattsburgh jumped out to a 5-0 lead. 

The Red Dragons proceeded to score three runs in the bottom of the second to bring themselves back in the game, now trailing 5-3. As their started settled in and held Plattsburgh scoreless, the team brought home a run in the third and tied the game in the sixth off an RBI triple from Marissa Nagel.

In the top of the seventh, the Cardinals put together a four-run rally to move towards the series sweep. A walk and error began the frame for Plattsburgh and after a fielder's choice, Diller singled home a run to give Plattsburgh the lead back. Gonzales followed with an RBI double to score Maggiacomo and after the second out of the inning, Torres came through with a big two-out, two-run single, giving the Cards important insurance runs as they now led 9-5.

A run in the bottom of the seventh was not enough for Oneonta, as Golino retired the final two batters of the game in a row to clinch the series sweep and a SUNYAC playoff spot for Plattsburgh. 

Marissa Dionisio was tagged with the loss after going 6.1 innings and giving up five earned runs for the Red Dragons.