PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State softball team wrapped up their home schedule with two non-conference wins against Clarkson on Tuesday, winning 5-1 and 4-3. The Cards utilized strong pitching from Morgan Ormerod (Valatie, N.Y./Ichabod Crane) and Sarah Milyko (Goshen, N.Y./Chester Academy) and had a big inning in each game to carry them to the two wins.

Ormerod gave up just one run over seven innings in game one, striking out nine batters and scattering eight hits on her way to her sixth win of the year. Milyko put out her best outing as a Cardinal so far, earning her second win while tossing her second complete game, as she allowed just three earned runs and five hits. Offensively, Gwen Noll (Massapequa, N.Y./St. Anthony's) had three hits, scored three runs, and stole four bases while Sara Isaacs (Malta, N.Y./Shenendehowa) drove in four total runs on the day.

Plattsburgh State improves to 11-21 on the year and will wrap up their regular season this weekend, playing Oswego State and Cortland, beginning with Oswego State on Friday, May 3 at 3 p.m. Clarkson falls to 11-23 on the year and will finish their season on the road Saturday at Skidmore.

Game One: Plattsburgh, 5, Clarkson 1

The Cardinals' four-run second inning in game one and Ormerod's great start powered the team to a game one win at home over the Golden Knights. The complete game win was her sixth, seven-inning complete game in a row and her second straight complete game win.

Noll was 1-2 in game one, scoring two runs and also stealing three bases, which included a steal of home. She also drove in a run and drew a walk in her first plate appearance. Isaacs was 1-3, with her lone hit driving in two runs, while Michelle DeFina (Commack, N.Y/Commack) was 1-2 with a run scored and a walk.

Plattsburgh jumped out to an early lead thanks to fantastic base-running from Noll. After she reached with a one-out walk, she advanced to third on a groundout. A walk to Dimitra Mouhteros (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville) set up the scoring opportunity as Mouhteros never stopped running after the walk. She advanced halfway to second before the Golden Knights could attempt a throw and as she safely reached second, Noll swiped home to give the Cards the lead.

After Ormerod struck out the side in the following half-inning the Cardinal offense struck, as good baserunning from DeFina after a single allowed her to reach third base by stealing second and getting to third on a wild pitch. Kaitlin Smith (New Windsor, N.Y./Washingtonville) then brought her home with a sacrifice fly, putting the team up 2-0. Back-to-back walks reignited the rally, and Noll singled home a run to give the Cards a 3-0 lead. Isaacs then followed with a line drive through the middle of the field, scoring two more runs for Plattsburgh.

From there, the Plattsburgh offense did not pick up a hit the rest of the way, finishing with just three hits, but five runs proved to be more than enough for Ormerod.

Her only trouble came in the fifth inning, when the third single of the frame scored a run, but the sophomore ended the jam by inducing a groundout.

In the sixth, she added two more strikeouts and then worked around a one-out single in the seventh to give the Cards the 5-1 win over the Golden Knights.

Jenna Totten took the loss, lasting just 1.2 innings and allowing three runs, while Devin Fitzpatrick threw two scoreless innings. Katy Aldous was 2-4 while Zoey Kovack was 1-4 with an RBI.

Game Two: Plattsburgh, 4, Clarkson 3

Plattsburgh used a four-run third to take home the win in game two, as Milyko threw seven strong innings to earn the win. The junior arm allowed just five hits on the day and three runs, while not walking a single batter on the day.

Noll continued her strong day with a 2-3 effort in game two, extending her hit streak to eight games and on-base streak to 19 games. Isaacs had a two-run double to get the Cardinal scoring started and Claire Palmer (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) was 2-4 with a run scored. Megan Pillus (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Spackenkill) and Smith each had RBI hits for the Cards in game two.

The first two innings of game two looked like the brewing of a pitcher's duel but the Cards strung together five hits in the third inning to tally four runs for an early lead. Palmer led off the frame and stole second, and Noll followed with a single to advance Palmer to third. Noll then stole second as well, putting two runners in scoring position for Isaacs. The first-year then smoked a ball to left-center, easily scoring both runners and giving Isaacs her team-leading 12^th double of the season. After a walk, a sac bunt moved the runners over to put them both in scoring position. Pillus then came up and hit a high chopper to short that she was able to beat out, also scoring Isaacs from third. Smith then followed with a single to center, bringing in another Cardinal run and putting Plattsburgh up 4-0 in the third.
Clarkson was able to respond quickly, as a triple from Emma Sabourin began the fourth and she came in to score on a sacrifice fly later in the frame, but Milyko held the rally there, keeping the Cards ahead 4-1.

In the fifth, a single, double, and then another double scored a run for the Golden Knights and gave them runners on second and third with no outs, trailing by two. Milyko was then able to induce a shallow lineout and foul out, but a wild pitch allowed another run to score and put the tying run just 60 feet away. The junior hurler then induced an inning-ending groundout, escaping the jam.

In the sixth, Milyko was able to keep a one-out single on first by inducing two outs and then had 1-2-3 seventh to finish the game, as DeFina made an outstanding diving catch in shallow right field to end the game and give the Cardinals the doubleheader sweep.

Lily Corrice took the loss in the circle, working 2.1 innings and allowing 4 runs while Fitzpatrick threw 3.2 scoreless innings. Bridget Kerwin drove in a run and was 1-2 while Genevieve Mucitell was 1-3 with an RBI and run scored.