(BOX SCORE)

CORTLAND, NY—Kyrstin Lekki (N. Tonawanda/Niagara-Wheatfield) blasted a towering one-out walk-off homerun down the leftfield line to give Buffalo State (29-12) a 3-2 eight-inning win over nationally-ranked No. 8 Cortland (40-6) to capture the SUNYAC Championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Regionals today at Red Dragon Field.

The title is the fourth in the program's history and first since 2000. This will be the team's eighth trip to the NCAA playoffs.

Marissa Mariano (Williamsville/Mt. St. Mary) had two of the Bengals' five hits, going 2 for 4 with an RBI. Julie Joyce (E. Pembroke/Pembroke) was 1 for 3 with a double and Lekki also finished 1 for 3. Jenna Frieling (E. Amherst/Williamsville North) earned the win, throwing a six-hitter with three strikeouts.

Cortland jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on an RBI single, but Buffalo State evened the score in the bottom of the third, scoring on a bases loaded wild pitch. Buffalo State went up one in the fifth on an RBI single by Mariano that scored Jolene Banach (Cheektowaga/Maryvale) who had reached on an error. Cortland extended the game with a two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh to even the score at 2-2, but Lekki's eighth homer of the season in the eighth ended the game.

Lekki was named to the all-tournament team after piling up three homeruns and six RBIs in the five games. Nicole Sabuda (Orchard Park/Orchard Park) was named the tournament MVP, hitting .278 with three homeruns and five RBIs, and went 2-0 on the mound.

Buffalo State will learn its postseason destination later tonight when the NCAA reveals the regional brackets.