Howard finished the first game 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs. His solo home run in the eleventh inning sent the Red Wolves (4-2) away winners after erasing a three-run deficit early in the game and then rallying again in the ninth inning to send the game into extra innings.
A-State scored four runs in the seventh inning to go up 5-4 after Howard sent a two-run blast over the leftfield wall and Sky-Lar Culver followed with a two-run shot of his own.
The Crusaders (1-3) took the lead back in the eighth inning with a two-run home run by Blake Billinger, his second of the game.