Information courtesy of Plattsburgh Sports Information Department
CORTLAND, NY – For this week's Throwback Thursday, the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) has decided to throw it back to when Plattsburgh's softball team won the 2012 conference title.
In the 2012 final, the Cardinals defeated Cortland 3-2, to claim their second-ever SUNYAC Championship.
The title marked the first for Plattsburgh's head coach Stephanie Zweig and second in their program history. The Cardinals won their first conference championship in 2006. With the win, Plattsburgh received an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament making their first appearance since 2007.
In the championship game, the Cardinals took an early lead on Cortland after Brittany Marshall led off the game with a triple and scored on a groundout by Allison Smiddy.
Plattsburgh held onto the one run lead until the bottom of the fifth when the Red Dragons tied it on a home run to left field by Cassie Kardias.
In the top of the seventh, a two run single to center field by Smiddy gave Plattsburgh a 3-1 lead. The Red Dragons answered back when Abby Martin opened the Cortland half of the seventh with a double to right center. Kayla Lynch for the Red Dragons then doubled down the right field line to drive home Martin and put runners on second and third.
Ashley Marshall, who came in as relief for Plattsburgh's starter Heather Loughran, worked out of the jam to secure the victory.
Ashley Marshall earned herself SUNYAC Pitcher of the Year for 2012. Marshall was 22-4 in 33 appearances in the circle with a 1.48 ERA and two saves. In 165 innings pitched she had struck out 248 batters while allowing 28 walks, limiting the opponents' batting average to .185. Her strikeout total ranked sixth in Division III. Marshall had thrown 20 complete games including nine solo shutouts, which was ranked eighth in the country. Marshall is the second Plattsburgh Cardinal to earn Pitcher of the Year accolades joining current head coach Stephanie Zweig who earned the honor in 2006 and 2007.
