The one Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game the Howard University softball lost during the 2025 season was at the hands of South Carolina State on March 23.
The Bison kept the receipt and repaid the debt with a 6-1 win in Saturday’s conference championship game, sending Howard to the NCAA Division I softball tournament and winning the third tournament title in program history.
Howard pitcher Ameenah Ballenger was the tournament’s most outstanding performer, picking up the win in 4 and 2/3 innings of work. Ballenger allowed just three hits and struck out three batters in teaming up with Mia Gonzales to take down the Bulldogs.
2025 MEAC R̶E̶G̶U̶L̶A̶R̶ ̶S̶E̶A̶S̶O̶N̶ CHAMPIONS 🏆
The Howard University Bison take the 2025 MEAC Softball Champion Title 🏆🥎🦬#MEACSoftball #MEACSPORTS pic.twitter.com/of9tKakgNF
— Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (@MEACSports) May 10, 2025
The Bison, now 31-18 in 2025 (20-1 in conference play), scratched out a 2-0 lead after the first inning thanks to an RBI groundout by Alyssa Vasquez and speedy Lauryn Jones, the conference rookie of the year, scoring on a passed ball by SCSU catcher Kauree Munyan.
South Carolina State (17-22) cut the lead in half on a third inning home run by centerfielder Jamaria Charley off of Gonzales. That was all the scoring the Bulldogs could put together as Howard was able to keep MEAC player of the year Taylor Ames-Alexander in the park (she hit three home runs on Friday) and SCSU off the bases.
Howard responded to Charley’s homer in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from Merci Hart, a run on a SCSU error and an RBI groundout by Ballenger. Howard added their sixth run in their last turn at bat when Kenna Higa doubled home Maryn Jordan.
This is Howard’s second tournament title under head coach Tori Tyson, the first coming in 2022. Howard won their first MEAC softball championship in 2007.
Howard will learn who their NCAA tournament opponent will be Sunday May 11 during the Softball Selection Show, airing live on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. EST.
