CORTLAND, N.Y. – Senior Crystal Carlson (Lancaster/Iroquois) and freshman Jessica Harman (Penfield) singled home runs in the top of the 11th inning as Cortland stayed alive in the SUNYAC Softball Tournament with an 8-6 victory over Buffalo State. The two teams will play again Sunday at noon in Cortland in a winner-take-all game to determine the SUNYAC champion and the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III tournament. Cortland improved to 40-5 with the victory. Buffalo State is 29-11.

Cortland dropped into the loser's bracket of the tournament with a 7-4 loss to the Bengals to start Saturday's action in a game halted by rain Friday. The Red Dragons bounced back to eliminate Brockport, 1-0, then rallied from 5-3 and 6-4 deficits to beat Buffalo State and force a final game.

In the first game, Cortland led 4-3 in the top of the sixth over Buffalo State when the contest was halted. Nicole Sabuda, however, hit a two-run homer in the first at-bat after the game re-started to give the Bengals the lead and Julie Joyce added a two-run homer in the seventh. All of Buffalo State's runs in the game came on homers – the two-run shots by Sabuda and Joyce and a previous three-run roundtripper by Kyrstin Lekki in the third inning. Sabuda and Joyce each finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and Jenna Frieling earned the victory.

Harman drove in two runs in the loss on a first-inning sacrifice fly and a fifth-inning groundout. Donnalyn Cross (Binghamton/Chenango Valley) was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Katie Finch (Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth) suffered just her third loss of the season, but came back to win her 21st game when she outdueled Brockport's Stephanie Geer in Cortland's 1-0 win over Brockport. Finch allowed just two hits, struck out nine and did not walk anyone. Geer gave up four hits and one walk and allowed one run.

Cortland scored in the bottom of the first inning and the run held up. Cross led off with a triple to left center and scored on Carlson's sacrifice fly to right. The Red Dragons loaded the bases with one out in the third, but a pop-up and groundout ended the inning. Cortland also stranded a runner on third in the fifth. Brockport's best threat came in the first when Kristina Wood doubled with one out and went to third on a passed ball. Finch got a groundout back to her and a strikeout to get out of that jam.

In the final game of the day, Cortland grabbed a 3-0 lead in the top of the first off Buffalo State starter Sabuda. Cross singled, stole both second and third and scored on a Carlson double. Carlson eventually scored on an error and Bethany Williamson (Lyons Falls/South Lewis) drove in the last run with a sacrifice fly.

Buffalo State, however, struck for two runs in the second off Cortland starter Lyndsay Rowell (Sandy Creek) when Marissa Mariano doubled and Kaylee Lekki hit a two-run homer. In the third, back-to-back doubles by Nicole Maher and Jolene Banach tied the game and knocked out Rowell. Sabuda greeted reliever Maria Carucci (East Islip) with a two-run homer and the Bengals led 5-3.

A Williamson single, a double by junior Jackie Begnoche (Montgomery/Valley Central) and an RBI groundout by Rose Morrison (Miller Place) pulled Cortland within 5-4 in the fourth. Buffalo State got that run back on a Maher RBI groundout in the bottom of the inning.

Cortland tied the game at 6-6 in the fifth when junior Emily Ringen (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) followed a Harman single and stolen base with a two-run homer to left. Finch entered start the bottom of the fifth and pitched seven scorless innings for the win. She gave up two hits and five walks and struck out nine.

Buffalo State's had a great chance to win the game and the league title in the bottom of the eighth. Mariano walked and Kyrstin Lekki bunted her to second. Kaylee Lekki was intentionally walked and, following a strikeout for the second out, a walk to Aimee Fisher loaded the bases. Finch got a groundout to second to end the inning. In the ninth, Banach doubled with one out and Sabuda was intentionally walked. A pop-up and strikeout squelched that bid.

Cortland finally broke through in the top of the 11th. With one out, Brooke Weidman (Perkinsville/Wayland-Cohocton) singled and advanced to second on a throwing error during the play. She moved to third on a groundout and Carlson singled to left to drive her in. Carlson took second on an error and scored on Harman's single to right center.

Carlson finished 3-for-6 with two RBI while five other Red Dragons – Harman, Ringen, Williamson, Weidman and Sammi Dieffenbach (Erin/Horseheads) – recorded two hits each. Maher and Banach each had two hits and an RBI while Sabuda and Kyrstin Lekki drove in two runs apiece for the Bengals.


Box Score vs. Buffalo St. (Game 1)

Box Score vs. Brockport

Box Score vs. Buffalo St. (Game 2)


SUNYAC Softball Tournament Page