How Northwestern State softball triumphed without a hit

Unconventional Victory for Northwestern State Softball

Well, that’s one way to come out on top.

On Saturday, Northwestern State softball triumphed over Missouri State with a score of 5-3. This win is memorable, especially since they did it without getting a hit—a no-hitter, really.

The Demons went 0-for-19, with only one strikeout against the Bears’ pitchers, Briley Brewster and Emily Colland. Yet, they managed to jump out to an early lead, a lot due to disciplined batting and maybe a bit of good fortune.

“Hits are overrated,” the team humorously posted on social media post-game.

All five runs for Northwestern State came in the first inning. Brewster struggled, walking the first three batters and allowing a run due to a hit-by-pitch.

When Brewster continued to struggle, Missouri State quickly called Colland from the bullpen. The Demons capitalized, scoring on a fielder’s choice, followed by a couple of walks and an error that contributed an additional four runs, three of which were earned.

JT Smith, who had the first walk of the game, noted that part of their strategy was to make Brewster find the strike zone. It surprisingly ended up working even better than they had anticipated.

“We reviewed footage earlier and noticed she had some control issues under pressure—definitely something you want to capitalize on,” Smith remarked. “So thankfully, I didn’t even have to swing. I got my walk, and everyone else just followed suit.”

While the rest of the game saw the Demons only get four baserunners—thanks to a few more walks and another hit-by-pitch—Mattison Buster did her part by pitching all seven innings. She gave up six hits and three runs, but only two were earned, holding the Bears back effectively.

The win was further solidified by a standout play from right fielder McKenna Reinwald, who made a crucial diving catch to prevent any late runs from Missouri State.

Interestingly, NSU entered the game after a commanding 14-0 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff the previous day, which had also featured a no-hitter until the five-inning rule took effect.