Howell Pitches Past Louisiana Tech

RUSTON, La. - Playing in her home state for the first time as a Cougar, junior pitcher Hannah Howell threw a 1-hitter in arguably the best performance of her career to lead the BYU softball team over Louisiana Tech 5-0 on Friday.

The win gave BYU head coach Gordon Eakin his 400th career win. Eakin, whose 27th wedding anniversary was also Friday, is now 400-172 (.699) in his 10-year career.

Senior Jessica Dugas led BYU (29-12, 8-3 WAC) at the plate, going 3 for 3 with three runs, two walks and an RBI.

Howell, who struck out one and gave up three walks, got help from a strong defense in taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning before giving up a single. The Techster on first then promptly got out on the following at bat after BYU turned a double play. Howell's record goes to 14-7.

The BYU offense scratched out runs throughout the game. Delaney Willard's sacrifice fly scored the game's first run in the first inning before a single from Willard resulted in two more runs in the third.

Dugas had an RBI single in the fourth and Manuma added a sac fly to bring in Dugas in the sixth to round out the BYU scoring.

Weather permitting, BYU will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. CT.