Softball Drops Two in North Carolina

Saturday, February 22

Raleigh, N.C.

10:30 AM

Central Michigan University

1-6

Illinois

6-5

Illinois

Central Michigan

Photo by: Julia Bice '22,M'24 - @jb.jpg10

2/22/2025 7:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Chippewas drop two games in the second day of the Marucci Classic hosted by NC State against power five schools.

By: Julia Bice

RALEIGH, N.C. – Two more hard battles for the Central Michigan Softball team, but two more heart breaking losses.

CMU moves to 1-7 on the season after falling to Illinois and NC State in its second preseason tournament of the year.

The first game featured a rematch against Illinois from Friday afternoon, CMU lost 1-4 to the Fighting Illini.

Madelyn Wallace got the start in the circle – her first of her senior campaign. Wallace threw 3.1 innings, facing 15 batters where she allowed six hits and two runs. Junior left-handed pitcher, Cierra Laska entered in the fourth inning where she faced 10 batters and issued just one hit. Brooklyn Compau ended the game in the circle for CMU, facing the final five batters.

Laska and Compau each allowed one run.

The lone run for Central Michigan came in the fifth inning when freshman London Williams sent a long shot over the right center fence. The home run was the first of William's career and the fourth of the season for the Chippewas.

Illinois scored in the fourth inning via a first and third situation and with a solo home run. In the fifth inning, they added another run when a throwing error by the Chippewas allowed a runner to cross the plate. Their final run came in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly to right field.

In the nightcap, Central Michigan faced host NC State and had the Wolfpack on their heels the entire game.

For the second straight game, the Chippewas forced a pitching change in the first inning.

Emma Lotus reached as the first batter of the game via catcher's interference. Tori Briggs followed up with a walk, and the two were moved around with a single to right field from Carly Sleeman. When London Williams was hit by a pitch, Lotus crossed the plate for the first run of the game. After the pitching change for the Wolfpack, Allyssa Hollo drew a walk allowing Briggs to score the second run for the Chippewas.

The bases would stay loaded as NC State got out of the jam with ground balls.

An RBI single for NC State would score their first run of the game in the bottom half of the first.

The Wolfpack took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run, 4-3 NC State.

Central Michigan regained the lead in the top of the fifth with doubles from Sleeman, Williams and Hollo that scored Briggs, Sleeman and Laska; 5-4 Chippewas.

NC State answered in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run home run to reach the final score of 5-6 in favor of the Wolfpack.

Cierra Laska entered in the fifth inning to pitch, relieving Brooklyn Compau who took the start.

Compau faced 18 batters over four complete innings, striking out four.

The Chippewas will close out the Marucci Classic against Northern Colorado on Sunday at 10 a.m..

For the latest news and updates on CMU Softball, follow the team on X (@cmusoftball) and Instagram (@cmichsoftball).

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— CMU —