Howell dazzles and delivers in NSU Softball’s extra-inning win Friday over SUI-E

MOBILE, Ala. — Nothing affected Northwestern State junior Jensen Howell on Friday during the first day of the South Alabama Invitational.

It didn’t matter that the Lady Demons’ offense was struggling. It didn’t matter when SIU-Edwardsville put runners in scoring position. It didn’t matter that rain delayed the game for 30 minutes.

No matter the situation, Howell remained steady and dominant. She pitched a complete-game shutout and provided offense, as well, in NSU’s 3-0 victory over the Cougars.

“Jensen is a great competitor,” head coach Donald Pickett said. “When you have the mindset and competitiveness that Jensen does, it just sets her apart. She competes so well. No matter if she has her best stuff or if she doesn’t, she’s coming at you.”

Howell perplexed SIU-Edwardsville hitters all morning and into the afternoon. She went all eight innings, and only surrendered two hits while adding nine strikeouts.

Friday’s outing was only three days removed from a start against Grambling. On that day, Howell went four innings and didn’t allow a hit with six strikeouts.

That Grambling game was a relatively stress-free victory, which was a far cry from what NSU encountered Friday. Howell had to work out of multiple precarious positions.

She managed to allude any damage after the Cougars loaded the bases in the second inning with one out. Howell maneuvered around two base runners in the fifth, and held SIU-Edwardsville scoreless in the seventh when it had a runner on second with only one out.

“She didn’t have her best stuff, and she had to work out of a couple innings today, but she definitely moved the ball around well,” Pickett said. “It was a really good performance from her to be able to go out and match those zeros.”

Howell was matching Emily Ingles’ zeroes she was putting up. She stifled NSU for seven innings, allowing just one hit with five strikeouts.

But Howell — representing the first hitter of extra innings — was able to barrel up a ball on a full count, homering to left for the game’s first run. That was followed by a RBI singles from freshman outfielder Taylor Williams, and junior designated hitter E.C. Delafield.

“I know our kids, and they’re fighters,” Pickett said. “They did that today. They didn’t have their best day. Offensively, we struggled today, but we kept fighting, and I was really proud of them for continuing to play the game and continuing to fight.
“It was a good team win.”

Rain forced the game into a delay for about 30 minutes. Much like everything else, that didn’t affect Howell, as she retired the Cougars in order to finish the game.

Northwestern State continues play at the South Alabama Invitational on Saturday. The Lady Demons will battle Middle Tennessee at 9 a.m. and Missouri at 11:15 a.m.