State University of New York Athletic Conference

Phone: 716-673-3105

Fax: 716-673-3135

Web: www.sunyac.com

Email: sunyac@netsync.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2004
CONTACT : Chris Gondek, SUNYAC Publicist

ONEONTA OUTLASTS CORTLAND FOR SUNYAC SOFTBALL TITLE

CORTLAND, N.Y. - The Oneonta Red Dragons, seeded just fifth in the SUNYAC Tournament, beat the odds and claimed the conference title and automatic NCAA Tournament berth with a 5-2 win over Cortland in the final game. The SUNYAC crown is Oneonta's third overall and first since the 2001 season.

After dropping a 7-0 game to Cortland to set up the winner-take-all finale, Oneonta scored all five of its runs in the top of the third inning to take control of the game. Rena Finsmith (Elmsford/Pleasantville) had an RBI-triple, and Sarah Place (Binghamton/Binghamton) and Erica Gifford (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) each contributed RBI-singles in the inning. Cortland got a run back in the third and Dominique Talbot's (Rockville Centre/Southside) RBI-double in the fourth made it 5-2. Cortland, however, managed only two baserunners the rest of the game thanks to the pitching of Oneonta sophomore
Amy Herba (Johnstown/Broadalbin-Perth). Herba threw a complete-game four-hitter after pitching all 16 innings of the Red Dragons' 1-0 victory over Buffalo State earlier in the day.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Thursday, April 29

Game #1 #1 Cortland def. #6 Plattsburgh, 3-0

Game #2 #5 Oneonta def. #2 Buffalo State, 3-0 (8 innings)

Game #3 #4 Fredonia def. #3 Geneseo, 1-0

Game #4 Geneseo def. Plattsburgh, 3-1

Friday, April 30

Game #5 Buffalo State def. Cortland, 4-2

Game #6 Oneonta def. Fredonia, 2-1 (12 innings)

Game #7 Buffalo State def. Geneseo, 5-4 (8 innings)

Game #8 Cortland def. Fredonia, 9-2

Saturday, May 1

Game #9 Oneonta def. Buffalo State, 1-0 (16 innings)

Game #10 Cortland def. Oneonta, 7-0

Game #11 Oneonta def. Cortland, 5-2