PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State softball team opened up State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play with a sweep over The College at Brockport Friday afternoon at Cardinal Park, defeating the Golden Eagles, 5-4, in game one before posting a 6-0 victory in game two. It also marked the first home games of the year for the Cardinals, who returned to action for the first time in nearly two weeks.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 8-8 overall (2-0 SUNYAC) with the wins and next hosts SUNY Geneseo tomorrow at 12 p.m. in a SUNYAC twinbill. The Cardinals are currently riding a five-game win streak. Brockport drops to 8-8 overall (0-2 SUNYAC) and next visits the Rochester Institute of Technology for a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 4, at 3 p.m.
 
Game 1: Plattsburgh State 5, Brockport 4
 
Plattsburgh State dug itself out of a 4-0 hole with a five-run fifth, and senior designated player/pitcher Taylor Smith (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville) pitched well down the stretch to give the Cardinals the game-one victory.
 
Brockport got on the board in the top of the second when senior catcher Karleigh Eaton drove in sophomore designated player Jessica Koneski with a double to center field. The Golden Eagles scored three times in the fifth, beginning with a two-run double by sophomore third baseman Alison Missavage followed by a sacrifice fly by junior left fielder Aren Schwab that plated Missavage.
 
The Cardinals' fifth-inning rally mostly occurred with two outs on the scoreboard. While senior right fielder Amanda Tantillo (Florida, N.Y./S.S. Seward) led off the inning with a double, the Golden Eagles recorded two straight outs. Junior third baseman Amy Glashoff (Montrose, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) was hit by a pitch before junior shortstop Kaitlyn Preiss (Cornwall, N.Y./Cornwall) loaded the bases with a bunt single. Senior center fielder Dominique Zummo (Commack, N.Y./St. Anthony's) scored Tantillo and Glashoff with a single to left field, while junior catcher Jennifer Groat (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) singled to right field to push across Preiss. Smith then doubled to right center to drive in Zummo and Groat, which handed Plattsburgh State a 5-4 lead.
 
Smith, who had produced the go-ahead run for the Cardinals, went back to work in the circle, allowing just one hit in the final two innings.
 
Groat led the Cardinals with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, driving in a run while scoring once. She has started the season on a 16-game hit streak and is currently batting .596 for the year.
 
For Brockport, sophomore shortstop Meghan Cullen and Eaton each went 2-for-3.
 
Smith earned the win in the circle for Plattsburgh State, throwing 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief while striking out three. Senior pitcher Katie Pitkin (Dexter, N.Y./General Brown) drew the start for the Cardinals and threw 4 1/3 innings. Freshman pitcher Julia Palopoli shouldered the loss for Brockport, allowing five runs on seven hits and a hit by pitch while striking out two.
 
Game 2: Plattsburgh State 6, Brockport 0
 
The Cardinal bats overwhelmed the Golden Eagles in game two, as Plattsburgh State scattered 14 hits. Sophomore pitcher Rhea Pitkin (Dexter, N.Y./General Brown) also was key in the victory, throwing a one-hit shutout while striking out five.
 
Smith fired the opening salvo with one out in the top of the first, doubling to right field to plate Zummo. In the second, Zummo took advantage of a ball that landed in no-man's land in shallow left center between two Brockport outfielders that were on the run tracking the ball, driving in two runs with a triple. Freshman second baseman Shannon Myles (Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur) and Preiss drove in runs on back-to-back at-bats in the third, while Groat scored Myles in the fifth to spell the final score.
 
Myles and senior third baseman Jackie Decker (Adams, N.Y./South Jefferson) each had three hits for the Cardinals in the win, with Myles going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI and Decker batting 3-for-4. Preiss, Zummo and Groat all had multi-hit outings as well. For Brockport, Eaton was the lone batter to register a hit.
 
Senior pitcher Becky Knorr shouldered the loss for Brockport, yielding six runs on 14 hits and two walks while striking out two.