CORTLAND, N.Y. – The nationally 11th-ranked and top-seeded Cortland softball team opened the second day of the SUNYAC tournament with an 8-0 win in six innings versus Buffalo State, but the Red Dragons slipped into the loser's bracket after falling to second-seeded Plattsburgh, 10-1 in five innings.

Cortland (36-7) will play Brockport Saturday at 11 a.m. in an elimination game. The winner will face Plattsburgh at 1:30 p.m. If Plattsburgh wins that game, the Cardinals will win the league title. If Plattsburgh loses, a final championship game will be played Sunday at noon.

Friday's action also included Plattsburgh defeating Geneseo, 9-0 in five innings, and Brockport eliminating Geneseo in a wild 16-12 contest that set a SUNYAC tournament record for most combined runs scored in a game.

Cortland 8, Buffalo St. 0 (6 inn.) (Box Score)

Junior Kayla Lynch (Albany/Colonie) hit a three-run double to break a scoreless tie in the fourth inning and senior Abby Martin's (Oswego) three-run homer highlighted a four-run fifth inning as the Red Dragons pulled away for the victory.

Senior Lyndsay Rowell (Sandy Creek) pitched four scoreless innings for the victory. She allowed four hits and three walks and struck out one. Senior Morgan Kuhn (Wayland/Wayland-Cohocton) tossed the final two innings for her eighth save of the season. She walked one, struck out one and gave up two hits. Buffalo State starter Aleesha Williams allowed three runs in three and a third innings for the loss.

The Bengals (20-20) were in position to take the lead in the second. Williams led off with a walk and Sam Strapason doubled to left center. Williams tried to score, but was thrown out on a relay from center fielder Cassie Kardias (Shrub Oak/Lakeland) to shortstop Jessica Harman (Penfield) to catcher Briana Barca (Eastchester). Buffalo State also had runners on second and third with two outs in the third, but Rowell escaped with a strikeout.

Cortland loaded the bases with one out in the fourth to set up Lynch's three-run double. In the fifth, senior Lorraine Stoddard (Liverpool) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Martin hit her third homer of the season with two runners on two batters later. Cortland ended the game by creating an eight-run lead in the sixth when sophomore Beth Lamison (Liverpool) led off the inning with her first homer of the season.

Plattsburgh 10, Cortland 1 (5 inn.) (Box Score)

Cortland and Plattsburgh were tied 1-1 after three innings before the Cardinals broke the game open. Plattsburgh scored three runs in the fourth on a Katie McNally RBI single, a Dana Mandery RBI double and a Megan Price sacrifice fly. A six-run fifth inning was highlighted by Erin Florkiewicz three-run homer and Allison Smiddy two-run single.

Plattsburgh (30-8) took a 1-0 lead in the first without a hit. Brittany Marshall walked, stole second, went to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch. The Red Dragons answered in the bottom of the first when Lucia Meola (Cicero-North Syracuse/Liverpool) doubled, was bunted to third by Stoddard and scored on a Meaghan Kohler (Franklin, NJ/Warren Hills Regional) groundout.

Heather Loughran started for the Cardinals and pitched three innings for the win. She allowed three hits  and one walk and fanned one. Ashley Marshall earned a save with two innings of scoreless relief. She gave up two hits and struck out two.

Martin took the loss for Cortland. She started and was charged with four runs, two earned, in three and a third innings. Martin gave up four hits and three walks and four strikeouts.

Mandery went 2-for-3 and Smiddy was 2-for-4 for Plattsburgh. Florkiewicz finished 1-for-2 with three RBI and two runs. Meola was 2-for-3 for the Red Dragons.

Cortland is the last school to win the SUNYAC tournament after coming out of the loser's bracket. The Red Dragons accomplished that feat in 2008 in Plattsburgh when they lost their second game before winning three in a row.

SUNYAC Tournament Page