The victory propels the Rattlers (31-19 overall; 19-5 SWAC) into this afternoon’s SWAC Championship game at 3:30 PM CT, where they will await the winner of this morning’s elimination rematch between Texas Southern and arch-rival Southern University, two teams they have already defeated in the tournament. It sets the stage for a championship clash dripping with narrative: either a rubber match against the resilient Tigers or a bitter rivalry showdown with the Jaguars for all the marbles.
“We talked all year about embracing moments, not fearing them,” said Head Coach Brittany Beall, her team now one win away from its first SWAC Championship and the coveted automatic NCAA Regional bid. “Yesterday was a moment. We had to dig a little deeper, but we found what we needed. The championship level requires that. Now we reset, refocus, and finish.”
Now, the Rattlers find themselves in a familiar, yet pressure-packed position: the favorites, on the biggest stage, with one game separating them from their season-long goal.
“We didn’t come all this way to play for second,” said Scott, her uniform still caked with Gulfport infield dirt. “We earned this spot. We have 21 outs left to take what’s ours. This afternoon, we play with everything we have.”