Ithaca College Athletics

Ithaca, N.Y. -- The fourth-seeded Buffalo State Bengals (31-13) eliminated third-seeded St. John Fisher (32-12) from the NCAA regional being held at Ithaca College with shortstop Kyrstin Lekki hitting the game-winning home run in extra innings. Buffalo State advances to play Rochester in Saturday's final game with the winner needing to beat top-seeded Cortland twice Sunday to claim the regional title. Cortland needs one win to win the regional.

Lekki's home run in the eighth inning came after catcher Marissa Mariano was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. The Cardinals brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the eighth after Jamie Harmon reached on an error to lead off, but the Bengals turned an infield double play to get out of the jam.

Buffalo State also escaped trouble in the bottom of the seventh after carrying a 4-3 lead into the inning. Singles by left fielder Katelyn Stubbendeck and third baseman Megan Zoerb put runners on first and third; a sacrifice fly by right fielder Samantha Vara brought in one run and shortstop Kelly Jones followed with a triple to the center field wall, but the relay from Bengal center fielder Julie Joyce to Lekki to cut down the winning run at the plate.

Mariano doubled in a pair of first-inning runs and hit a two-run home run in the third as Buffalo state jumped out to a 4-0 lead. The Cardinals pulled to within 4-3 in the fifth behind a sacrifice fly by Jones and RBI singles from Vara and center fielder Lauren O'Brien.

Amy Fisher earned the win in relief for the Bengals allowing one hit in two innings of work.