ONEONTA, N.Y. – The sixth-seeded Plattsburgh State softball team dropped a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) tournament game on Thursday morning, falling to third-seeded Buffalo State 8-0 in five innings. The loss ends the Cardinals' season and marks the end of the careers for seniors
Carly Gemmett (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie),
Mikayla Manalo (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East), and
Sarah Milyko (Goshen, N.Y./Chester Academy).
Prior to the game, junior
Megan Pillus (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Spackenkill) was awarded the prestigious honor of SUNYAC Elite 20 Award. The SUNYAC Elite 20, an award modeled after the NCAA ELITE 90 program, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.
Milyko had the lone hit of the game for Plattsburgh State, while
Sara Isaacs (Malta, N.Y./Shenendehowa) reached twice by way of a walk and an error. Manalo also drew a walk for Plattsburgh, and Gemmett took the loss in the circle, allowing eight runs while striking out six batters in 4.2 innings of work.
Ella Stewart drove in four runs and had three hits for the Bengals, while Erin Paolili had a 3-3 day with an RBI and two runs scored. Izzy Pezdek earned the win in the circle, allowing just one hit over five shutout innings, striking out four.
Plattsburgh State falls to 10-26 and concludes their 2025 season. Buffalo State improves to 21-16 and next takes on SUNY New Paltz in the double elimination portion of the SUNYAC tournament.
Each pitcher threw up a scoreless first, but in the bottom of the second, Gemmett ran into trouble with two walks and a single, loading the bases with two outs. Stewart then came through for the Bengals with a two-out three-run double to left field, clearing the bases.
After a scoreless third for the Cardinals, Buffalo State added three more runs in their half of the third, all with two outs, as Lexi Quagliana had an inside-the-park homer, Paolili doubled home a run, and another run scored on a throwing error.
Gemmett bounced back in the bottom of the fourth with a 1-2-3 frame, and Milyko led off the following inning with a single up the middle. The Cardinals were unable to bring home a run, however, and the Bengals scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to earn the walkoff, run-rule win.
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