MANSFIELD — Strikeouts have been a key part of Derek Howell’s pitching outings this season. That facet of his game was again on display Thursday.

In a 2-0 win over Blooming Grove, Howell struck out 19 and tossed a one-hitter as Krum captured the one-game playoff in the Class 2A Region II area round.

DRC/Gary Payne

Krum’s Derek Howell pitched a 2-0 shutout against Blooming Grove during a Class 2A Region II area round playoff game Thursday in Mansfield.

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“I kept the ball down low tonight and it worked out,” Howell said. “It was great, but it’s just another win.”

Howell started the game by striking out the side in both the first and second innings. He worked an effective mix of pitches, setting up batters with his fastball, which he often located low in the strike zone, and using his off-speed pitches to put them away. Howell struck out 10 of the first 11 batters he faced.

“We thought we would be successful pitching down in the zone and we were,” Krum head coach Ray Miller said. “Howell has been pretty good for us all season and he was again tonight.”

Blooming Grove starter Scott Ackley battled Howell in a pitchers’ duel that featured only five hits combined by the two teams.

Ackley broke up Howell’s no-hit bid with two outs in the fourth on a rope single to left field. The hit appeared to rattle Howell — just briefly, though — as he followed up with a four-pitch walk. Howell got the next batter to pop out to end the fourth inning.

In the fifth inning, Howell made perhaps some of his best pitches of the game. He struck out the side for the third time in the game as the Blooming Grove hitters struggled to time his off-speed pitches while trying to keep pace with his fastball. Howell, who improved to 7-3 on the mound this season, struck out the side in all but two innings.

“I expected it to be a pitchers’ duel after I saw Ackley throw last week,” Miller said. “He’s a pretty good pitcher on the mound, but I think mine is pretty good, too. They both pitched well tonight.”

Blooming Grove (15-6) threatened to score in the sixth inning, but Howell again pitched out of a jam. With runners on second and third base and two out, Howell struck out cleanup hitter Lane Matous on a sinking curveball.

The Krum batters broke out of a sluggish start to the game in the sixth inning. Bryse Buster led off with a single and moved to third base on an errant throw by Ackley, after the pitcher fielded a bunt from Victor Cristales. Buster scored on a wild pitch.

Krum (22-8) added another run on a two-out single by Randy Sargent that scored Cristales.

Krum wasted a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the third. Colton Head led off the inning with a line drive single over the shortstop’s head, and he moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Buster. Howell followed with a single to left, but a pair of sharp relay throws gunned down Head, who was waved around third base, at home plate.

“We got to be aggressive in that situation, and we wanted to score first,” Miller said. “We made them make two perfect throws, and they did.”

Krum advances to the regional quarterfinal next week to face the winner between Palmer and Farmersville.

BRAD McDONNELL can be reached at 940-566-6869. His e-mail address is bmcdonnell@dentonrc.com .

Krum 2, Blooming Grove 0

WP – Derek Howell. LP – Scott Ackley. Records – Blooming Grove (15-6), Krum (22-8).