After a one-year hiatus, Buffalo State will return to the SUNYAC playoffs for the 17th time in the past 20 years, opening the tournament against No. 2 Plattsburgh this Thursday at 11 a.m. in Cortland.

The Bengals enter the postseason as the No. 5 seed. After a slow start to the season, Buffalo State has gone 9-4 in its last 13 games and wrapped up the regular season 15-19 overall and 10-8 in league play.

Buffalo State dropped both decisions to Plattsburgh on Apr. 16. The Cardinals (30-6/14-4), ranked 17th in Division III in the most recent coaches' poll, defeated the Bengals 8-0 in six innings and 8-7 in the late game.

Freshman Aleesha Williams (Cheektowaga/Pioneer) is leading the Bengals into the postseason. The reigning SUNYAC Player of the Week is riding a 10-game hitting streak and has upped her batting average to a team-best .419 with five doubles, a home run and 10 RBIs. She also leads the Bengals with a 3.39 ERA and has a 4-4 record in the circle. Third baseman Krista Baker (Dunkirk/Dunkirk) is second on the team with a .365 batting average, followed by Kyrstin Lekki (N. Tonawanda/Niagara-Wheatfield) who is hitting .324 and leads the team with seven home runs and 31 RBIs.

The winner of the Buffalo State/Plattsburgh game will move on to play the winner of Geneseo/Fredonia on Friday at 11 a.m. The loser will play the loser of Cortland/Brockport on Thursday at 3 p.m.

Follow the entire tournament, including live internet radio and live stats at: http://www.cortlandreddragons.com/sports/2011/4/28/SB_0428115956.aspx