Box Score CANYON, Texas — Fans can mean everything.
But it wasn't the wild home crowd of 500-plus West Texas A&M fans who made the difference in Rattler Softball's huge win over the No. 1 team in the nation Friday.
Rather, it was two Rattler fans who helped spark
Taylor Vidrine in what would be the a fueling two-RBI double over WTAMU for a Rattler win, 4-3, at Schaeffer Park.
St. Mary's Softball is now one win away from advancing to the College World Series for the first time in nearly 10 years after a 4-3 win in the first game of the South Central Super Regional.
The No. 14 Rattlers face the No. 1 Lady Buffs (54-7) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the best-of-three series with the if necessary game taking place afterwards. If the Rattlers are victorious, they will advance to the College World Series in Salem, Va.
Being just shy of advancing to the National Tournament several seasons, the Rattlers will look to make their first appearance since the 2005 season in elimination hopes of No. 1 WTAMU, who eliminated the Rattlers in the 2011 regional.
After putting up the game's first run with a sac fly from
Haley Richter (Jr., Hondo, Texas) in the top of the first, the Rattlers fell to a 2-1 deficit after the Lady Buffs scored two in the third to have the Rattlers trailing for the first time in the postseason.
Yearning to remain perfect in the postseason, which the Rattlers have now won seven straight games, the Snakes needed someone to step up big with the bat.
And after glancing at two dancing Rattler fans, that someone would be Vidrine.
"I hit a lot better when I'm relaxed," said Vidrine. "They called time and I just happened to look in the stands and two of the moms are just dancing and it took my mind off of the pressure of knowing I had to do it and we were down. I guess that just gave me a sense of relaxation and I just saw the ball and hit the ball hard."
Vidrine's shot just inside the left field foul line made a tie game at 3-3 with Richter putting the Rattlers back in the lead in the very next at-bat with an RBI-single.
Vidrine was also a spark in the outfield, putting a show with an amazing, diving grab in left that could have easily put up a Lady Buff run in the fifth.
Vidrine's all-out defensive efforts as well as her teammates were all in support of their ace,
Emily Brittain.
"As an outfield, we go out every inning saying 'nothing is going to drop out here,'" said Vidrine who went 2 for 3 at the plate. "Emily's out here pitching a great game and we want to do everything we can to back her up. Infield was doing a great job so as an outfield we were going to come together and make sure we were doing as good of a job as she (Emily) was."
Brittain (Sr., Corpus Christi, Texas) went lights out against the No. 1 Lady Buffs, who house the Daktronics Hitter of the Year and five starters who have double-digit home run numbers, as well as put up her own impressive defensive game.
With her Super Regional win, Brittain is now 31-6 on the season, picking up her 26
th complete game on the season.
Brittain made several spectacular stops on the mound including making the final two outs of the game, the last of which knocked her down.
But she made the toss to end the game and upset a raucous home crowd in the Rattlers' impressive defensive outing that also had them pepper eight hits off the Daktronics Regional Pitcher of the Year, Rita Hoklanga, to give her just her third loss on the season.
With the win over the No. 1 team in the nation, the Rattlers improved to 50-12 on the season to mark the program's fourth season with 50 or more wins and first since the 2008 season.
The Rattlers hope for a single game on Saturday to take home the regional title, played at 1:30 p.m. in Canyon, Texas.
