NATCHITOCHES — Northwestern State softball head coach Donald Pickett has applauded his team's ability to stay in the fight all season. Even when perhaps the Lady Demons aren't playing their best and are trailing, he's seen his team continue to believe.
That belief and that fight were present for 16 innings Saturday at the Lady Demon Diamond. NSU fought back and claimed two walk-off victories — 4-3 in nine innings and 6-4 — behind a pair of big performances.
"I'm really proud of them," Pickett said. "It's been rough these last three weeks. We've not played our best. There's been a lot of frustration with the players and coaches, knowing we have more in us. We got behind on both those games, and they could have just mailed it in. They showed a lot of character and a lot of guts."
The wins push NSU's record to 19-15 overall and 13-7 in Southland Conference play. The losses drop Sam Houston to 13-26 overall and 10-10 in league action.
Pickett mentioned guts and character, and Howell had both of those in spades Saturday. She threw more than 160 pitches in the opener and logged the game-tying homer in the seventh inning.
"I didn't expect to go that many innings and that many pitches," Howell said. "But when you have to, you have to get the job done."
The pitching performance coupled with the late heroics allowed junior E.C. Delafield the opportunity to register the walk-off hit. She utilized her speed, reaching on an infield error that scored freshman pinch runner Kacee Mertens.
The walk-offs weren't done there, however. Freshman Keely DuBois hit a walk-off, three-run homer to center in the bottom of the seventh, which gave the Lady Demons the sweep.
"I just didn't even have plan because I had been popping up off the (pitcher) all night," DuBois said. "I thought, 'If I see it and I hit it, I'm just going to crush it.' I don't really have a plan. It just happens."
What happened was her first career home run in the biggest of spots. The noteworthy accomplishment will allow NSU to go for the sweep Sunday at 1 p.m. in the series finale.
NSU 4, SHSU 3 (9 innings)
Howell admitted that she didn't expect to throw 162 pitches Saturday, but that didn't bother her. In fact, it may have helped her.
"The longer I go, the better I get," Howell said. "My body has had time to tire down, and I'm not trying to overthrow. I'm just working on my spins and relying on my pitches at that moment."
Howell went all nine innings, yielding two earned runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts. The victory moved her 6-7 on the season.
Howell's home run knotted the game at 3-3 in the seventh, as the Lady Demons were playing catchup all night. The Bearkats scored runs in the second and fourth innings before NSU got on the board.
Freshman infielder Kat Marshall registered an RBI sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 2-1. Sophomore catcher Alexis Perry did the same in the sixth to cut the deficit to one after Sam Houston had added a run in the fifth.
NSU 6, SHSU 4
DuBois ascended to the cleanup spot in the order a couple weeks ago. For her, honestly, it was a little unsettling.
"I was a little nervous — not going to lie," DuBois said. "Since I've been at NSU, I've been eight or nine, so I was nervous. I like it now, though. I feel confident in it."
DuBois' numbers back up that affinity for the spot. She's been NSU's most consistent hitter of late, and her first-career home run — in walk-off fashion — was further proof of that.
The big swing gave Delafield the win in the circle, pushing her record to 8-2. She went all seven innings, allowing two earned runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts.
Once again, the Lady Demons had to play from behind. The Bearkats scored two in the third before junior infielder Cayla Jones cut the lead in half with an RBI double in the bottom half of the third.
Sam Houston made it 4-1 in the fourth, but an RBI sacrifice fly from DuBois and a bases-loaded walk from Howell cut the deficit to one. Delafield was plunked with a pitch and Jones logged her second hit of the night to set the stage for DuBois in the seventh.
