BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo State softball team fell just short of a SUNYAC postseason berth on Saturday, as the Bengals dropped a heartbreaking game two loss to Plattsburgh, after a dramatic game one victory on Senior Day. The Bengals won game one 6-5 in eight innings, and fell 4-2 in game two to finish the season with a 15-21 record.
 
GAME ONE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 6, Plattsburgh – 5 (Eight innings)
LOCATION: Buffalo State Softball Field – Buffalo, N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (15-20, 7-10 SUNYAC), Plattsburgh (12-17, 8-9)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Sarah Congelosi (Montgomery, N.Y./Valley Central) pushed her hitting streak to 13 games, going 3-for-4 with a double and two stolen bases. She also scored three runs, including the game-winner in the eighth inning.
• Oriana Castello (Pearl River, N.Y./Nanuet) also tallied three hits, going 3-for-5 with three doubles and two runs scored.
• Caitlyn Parsons (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas), Meghan Baio (Youngstown, N.Y./Lewiston-Porter), and Abigail Kruse (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) each tallied two hits.
• Kayla Wolinski (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) increased her hitting streak to 12 games with a hit in four at-bats.
• Carli Bogue (Elba, N.Y./Elba) was effective late, picking up the victory (6-10) after allowing three earned runs in eight innings pitched, striking out four batters.
• The Bengals tallied 15 hits in the game one victory.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Before the contest, the Bengals honored seniors Wolinski, Sydney McIntosh (Buffalo, N.Y./Kenmore West), Jenna Wlostowski (Lancaster, N.Y./Alden), Taylor Benton (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara-Wheatfield), and Lauren Jolly (Waterloo, N.Y./Waterloo).
• Once the game began, Plattsburgh and Buffalo State traded a first-inning run, as Benton tied the game on a single to right center after Castello led the frame with a double.
• Bogue ran into trouble in the second, as the bases were loaded with one out, but forced a groundout and a strikeout of Kristina Maggiacomo to end the threat.
• Buffalo took the 2-1 lead in the second inning, as Congelosi stole home, catching Plattsburgh's battery off guard in between pitches.
• The Cardinals scored three runs to take the 4-2 lead in the fourth, capped by a Kristen Langdon two-RBI triple into right center field. She would later score on an error.
• The Bengals fought back with two runs in the bottom of the frame, as Wlostowski and Castello tallied two-out, RBI hits to tie the game at four.
• Plattsburgh added a run in the seventh to take a 5-4 lead, on a two-out, RBI single to center field.
• With its backs against the wall, Buffalo State delivered, as Parsons tied the game at five with a two-out double to left field.
• In extra innings, Congelosi began the eighth with an infield bunt for a single, then stole second and advanced to third thanks to a Baio single.
• Two batters later, Castello struck out swinging for the second out, but the ball rolled past the catcher into the backstop, as Congelosi raced home for the game-winning run.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Langdon and Palmer led Plattsburgh with three hits apiece.
• Maggiacomo took the loss in relief (6-8), allowing an earned run in 2/3 of an inning worked.

 
GAME TWO BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Plattsburgh – 4, Buffalo State – 2
LOCATION: Buffalo State Softball Field – Buffalo, N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (15-21, 7-11 SUNYAC), Plattsburgh (13-17, 9-9)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• The Bengals were held to just four hits in the game two loss.
• Benton led the Bengals with a 2-for-3 performance, scoring a run.
• Castello and Wolinski also tallied a hit.
• Wolinski finished her Bengal career with a 13-game hitting streak, after the run-scoring hit in the first inning.
• Ella Susi (Lake View, N.Y./Frontier) earned the start and allowed one earned run in two innings pitched.
• Olivia Carr (West Falls, N.Y./East Aurora) took the loss in relief (3-5), allowing three earned runs in 3 2/3 innings pitched.
• Bogue shut Plattsburgh out over the final 1 1/3 innings.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Susi ran into trouble early, as she hit Samantha Gentile with the bases loaded to give Plattsburgh the early lead.
• That lead was short lived, as consecutive hits by Castello and Benton set the table for Wolinski, who drove a pitch to the wall, a two-run double for her 21st of the season.
• Plattsburgh tied the game at two in the third, as Alex McKearin knocked in a run with a two-out single up the middle.
• Julia Golino broke the tie in the sixth with a two-out double to left center field, scoring two runs to give the Cardinals a 4-2 lead.
• After running into trouble in the opening inning, Maggiacomo allowed just one hit the rest of the way, keeping the Bengals at bay as the Cardinals earned the final SUNYAC Tournament spot.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Maggiacomo picked up the victory (6-8), allowing two earned runs on four hits, striking out five batters.
• Four Cardinals tallied two hits apiece.

 
NOTABLES

• The Bengals finish the season with two qualified batters (Castello, Parsons) hitting over .400 for the first time in over 15 years.
• Castello's 27 stolen bases are tied with Cheryl Isbrandt's 1994 tally as the third-most all-time.
• Wolinski's 21 doubles ties the single season record, shared by Kyrstin Lekki in 2012.
• The Bengals end the regular season as the SUNYAC leaders in doubles (80), extra base hits (91).
• Castello finishes the season as the SUNYAC leader in stolen bases, hits (50), and runs scored (39).
• Wolinski finishes the season as the SUNYAC leader in doubles.