CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M softball punched its ticket to the NCAA South Central Super Regional series on Saturday evening with a 3-0 victory over the No. 8-ranked Angelo State Rambelles. After falling to Angelo State in game one, the Lady Buffs shutout the Rambelles to improve to 55-6.
 
WT will now face No. 1-ranked and top-seeded UT Tyler in a best-of-three series on May 15-16 at Irwin Field in Tyler, Texas.
 
THE BASICS:
Game 1 Score: #8 Angelo State 8, #3 West Texas A&M 0 (5 inn.)
Pitching: (W) Cheyenne Floyd (27-7); (L) Heid Vortherms (19-2)
After a scoreless inning, the Rambelles broke into the scoring column in the bottom of the second. Three straight soft-contact singles off WT starter Heid Vortherms loaded the bases before the senior recorded an out on a fly out to right field. A line drive to third took a deflection off a glove and shot into left-center field, allowing two runs to come in.
 
Angelo State added to its lead in the bottom of the third after an error to start the inning gave the Rambelles a base runner. After a sacrifice bunt, Tatiana Trotter curled a home run inside the left-field foul pole to double the lead.
 
Angelo State capped off the run-rule victory in the bottom of the fifth with four runs. Back-to-back singles from the Rambelles came in to score when Averie Gunther doubled into the gap in left. On the next batter, a three-base error scored two and put Angelo State firmly in control. A one-out walk loaded the bases for the Rambelles where an RBI fielder's choice from Erin Plunkett plated the final run.
 
THE BASICS:
Game 2 Score: #3 West Texas A&M 3, #8 Angelo State 0
Pitching: (W) Emilee Boyer (28-4); (L) Amelia Hatthorn (13-5)
Game two of the day started as a pitcher's duel with zeroes on the board through two innings. The tide changed in the top of the third when Emily Liskai powered a ball into the left-center gap, missing a solo home run by a matter of inches. Following an Angelo State pitching change, Lauren Granger tapped a ball down the first-base chalk to advance Liskai to third. Following a Kiley Avery walk, the Lady Buffs executed a first-and-third double steal to plate the game's first run. With one out, Abby Howell sent a grounder to third, allowing Avery to come in to score a second run.
 
WT added its final run in the top of the fourth inning when Cadence Colborn started the frame with a five-pitch walk. Colborn advanced to second on a groundout from Heaven Moreno and moved to third when Halie Stoneking singled to center. After a stolen base from Stoneking, Avery Cannon loaded the bases on a walk. A shallow fly ball prevented the Lady Buffs from scoring, but Granger brought home a run after working a walk from a full count.
 
Angelo State looked to start a rally in the bottom of the fifth when Carter Smith beat out a one-out infield single. Boyer continued her stellar performance in the circle, forcing a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Boyer left a single on the bases in the sixth before returning to the circle for the seventh. With one out, Trotter ripped a single through the left side to keep the Rambelles' hopes alive. A fielder's choice put WT on two outs where Boyer induced a ground ball to short where Heaven Moreno gathered and fired across the diamond for the final out.