PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - Niki Barbato (East Meadow/Holy Trinity) homered twice and drove in nine runs over two games as nationally 22nd-ranked Cortland swept host Plattsburgh, 5-1 and 8-4, in a SUNYAC doubleheader. The Red Dragons improved to 21-7 overall for their 21st consecutive 20-win season, and Cortland leads the SUNYAC standings with a 10-0 mark.

Barbato hit a grand slam in the top of the seventh to break a 1-1 tie in the opener, and she hit a three-run blast during Cortland's four-run first inning in the second game. She finished the day a combined 3-for-7 with two homers, a sac fly, nine RBI and two runs scored.

Cortland 5, Plattsburgh 1

Cortland led 1-0 in the second on a Skyler Hoyt (Endicott/Union-Endicott) homer - her team-high fourth round-tripper of the spring. Plattsburgh tied the game in the fifth on a Kelsey Gage leadoff single, a Taylor Fischer sac bunt, and an error on a grounder by Hope VanBrocklin.

The Red Dragons' winning rally started with back-to-back walks by Rosie Phillips (Geneva/Our Lady of Mercy) and pinch hitter Amber Rice (Parish/A-P-W). Kaleigh Churchill's (Camillus/West Genesee) singe loaded the bases, and Barbato cleared them with a homer to left center. Cortland proceeded to load the bases again in the inning but was unable to add to its lead.

Cortland had another good scoring fall short in the sixth as it loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter with one out. The Cardinals got out of that jam with a force out at home and a flyout.

Jamie Lachall (Philadelphia, PA/Sun Valley) went the distance in the circle for her eighth win of the season. She allowed five hits and no walks, struck out two, and gave up only one unearned run. Katie Pitkin started for Plattsburgh and, after re-entering in the seventh, threw a total of six and one third innings. She gave up six hits and five walks and struck out two. Taylor Smith, who entered in the sixth, gave up Cortland's four runs in the seventh and suffered the loss.

Barbato finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and Andrea Schoonmaker (Marlboro) was 2-for-5. Hoyt reached three times on her homer and two walks. Taylor Fischer and Kaitlyn Preiss each went 1-for-2 for Plattsburgh.

Cortland 8, Plattsburgh 4

Barbato picked up right where she left off in the first inning of the second game. Two errors and a one-out Churchill walk loaded the bases, and one run scored on a wild pitch with Barbato at the plate. Barbato then hit a three-run homer to left center to put Cortland up 4-0.

Plattsburgh scored in the first on a Haleigh Agans sac fly. Cortland had a chance to break the game open in the top of the third when it loaded the bases with no outs on a Phillips single, a Mikayla Shade (Glenmont/Bethlehem) walk, and a Churchill single. Barbato, coming up again with the bases loaded, hit a fly ball to center for a sac fly to drive home Phillips. The Cardinals, however, threw out Shade trying to take third on the throw home, and a pop-up kept the Cortland lead at 5-1.

The hosts chased Cortland starter Alexandrea Flint (Dalton/Keshequa) in the third with a Preiss walk, singles by Jennifer Groat and Jackie Decker, and a two-run single by Agans. Sam Van Dorn (Medford/Patchogue-Medford) came out of the bullpen and limited the damage with a pop-up, fielder's choice and lineout.

Plattsburgh pulled within 5-4 in the fourth with a two-out rally as Preiss reached on an infield single and scored on a Groat double. Van Dorn, however, held the Cardinals scoreless the rest of the game and improved to 6-1 with the victory. She allowed three hits and one run with three strikeouts and no walks in five innings.

Three Cortland hits and two Plattsburgh errors contributed to a three-run seventh that gave the Red Dragons a cushion to work with. The inning featured a sac fly by Shade and Barbato's ninth RBI of the afternoon on a fielder's choice grounder to short as she once again came to bat with the bases loaded.

Phillips, Churchill and Stephanie Tirone (Williamsville/Williamsville South) each finished 2-for-3 to account for six of Cortland's seven hits. Groat went 2-for-3 with an RBI, Agans was 1-for-3 with three RBI, and Priess ended 1-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored for Plattsburgh (17-13, 8-4 SUNYAC). Rhea Pitkin pitched a complete game for the hosts and allowed eight runs, but only one earned, on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Cortland will host Ithaca College in a non-league doubleheader on Wednesday at 3 p.m.