Central Michigan University Athletics
Friday, April 3
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1:00 PM
Central Michigan University
1
vs
5
Northern Illinois
Photo by: Madison Davidson '25 - @_mld.jpeg
Softball Splits with Northern Illinois on Friday Afternoon
4/3/2026 5:58:00 PM | Softball
The Chippewas dropped the first game of the doubleheader and grabbed a win in the nightcap to earn a split with the Huskies.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – CMU rebounded in the second game of the day to collected a first day split with Northern Illinois on Friday afternoon for the weekend opening games at Margo Jonker Stadium.
CMU fell 1-5 in the first game and defeated NIU 8-1 in the second game. The Chippewas move to 15-15 on the season (6-5 MAC) and Northern Illinois shifts to 12-11 overall and 6-5 in the conference as well.
Game 1
The Chippewas couldn't find the bats in game one after the second inning. CMU scored the lone run for the Chippewas in the second with a ball off the bat of Rachel Cairo. Alexa Carter scored on the play from second base after charting a double of her own.
NIU grabbed a run in the first with a sacrifice fly, one in the fourth with a solo home run, and extended the lead in the top of the seventh with a bases clearing double to right center field.
Mackenzie Langan took the start in the circle for CMU and allowed just two runs over six innings pitched. Langan struck out six batters, including retiring the side via strikes in the first inning with runners in scoring position.
Cierra Laska entered in relief for Langan in the top of the seventh and surrendered the final three runs the Huskies scored. Laska struck out one of the seven batters she faced.
Game 2
Northern Illinois scored in the first inning with an RBI double from the cleanup hitter.
Central Michigan answered in the bottom half of the inning when Emma Lotus reached via error to score Angela Petrovitch who tripled as the leadoff batter for CMU.
In the second inning, CMU scored via double from Cairo and a bunt from Petrovitch where Cairo scored on the throwing error from the catcher. Emma Lotus grabbed her second RBI of the game with a single up the middle to score Petrovitch.
In the third, Petrovitch stayed hot, singled bunt and scored Cairo who reached on another double and advanced to third on an error by the left fielder.
In the fifth inning, Alexa Carter grabbed a sacrifice fly with a foul out to the right fielder, that scored Jenna Kuzara on the tag up. Cairo was responsible for the final run of the scoring for CMU with an RBI single that scored Cierra Laska.
Rachel Cairo and Angela Petrovitch both ended the second game with three hits, Cairo with three RBI tied her career high, reaching the mark for the fourth time across her three seasons as a Chippewa.
Petrovitch, who had two RBI notched her third of the season in that category, and the three for Cairo is her seventh game with multiple RBI this season, her third 3-RBI game.
Brooklyn Compau went the distance for CMU with only one run allowed, four strikeouts, and throwing her second complete game of the season. The Chippewas chased the starter for the Huskies out of the game in the second inning and forced NIU to throw four different pitchers in the outing.
The two teams will face off on Sunday for the series finale; the game is slated to start at 1 p.m.
For the latest news and updates on CMU Softball, follow the team on X (@cmusoftball) and Instagram (@cmichsoftball).
CMU fell 1-5 in the first game and defeated NIU 8-1 in the second game. The Chippewas move to 15-15 on the season (6-5 MAC) and Northern Illinois shifts to 12-11 overall and 6-5 in the conference as well.
Game 1
The Chippewas couldn't find the bats in game one after the second inning. CMU scored the lone run for the Chippewas in the second with a ball off the bat of Rachel Cairo. Alexa Carter scored on the play from second base after charting a double of her own.
NIU grabbed a run in the first with a sacrifice fly, one in the fourth with a solo home run, and extended the lead in the top of the seventh with a bases clearing double to right center field.
Mackenzie Langan took the start in the circle for CMU and allowed just two runs over six innings pitched. Langan struck out six batters, including retiring the side via strikes in the first inning with runners in scoring position.
Cierra Laska entered in relief for Langan in the top of the seventh and surrendered the final three runs the Huskies scored. Laska struck out one of the seven batters she faced.
Game 2
Northern Illinois scored in the first inning with an RBI double from the cleanup hitter.
Central Michigan answered in the bottom half of the inning when Emma Lotus reached via error to score Angela Petrovitch who tripled as the leadoff batter for CMU.
In the second inning, CMU scored via double from Cairo and a bunt from Petrovitch where Cairo scored on the throwing error from the catcher. Emma Lotus grabbed her second RBI of the game with a single up the middle to score Petrovitch.
In the third, Petrovitch stayed hot, singled bunt and scored Cairo who reached on another double and advanced to third on an error by the left fielder.
In the fifth inning, Alexa Carter grabbed a sacrifice fly with a foul out to the right fielder, that scored Jenna Kuzara on the tag up. Cairo was responsible for the final run of the scoring for CMU with an RBI single that scored Cierra Laska.
Rachel Cairo and Angela Petrovitch both ended the second game with three hits, Cairo with three RBI tied her career high, reaching the mark for the fourth time across her three seasons as a Chippewa.
Petrovitch, who had two RBI notched her third of the season in that category, and the three for Cairo is her seventh game with multiple RBI this season, her third 3-RBI game.
Brooklyn Compau went the distance for CMU with only one run allowed, four strikeouts, and throwing her second complete game of the season. The Chippewas chased the starter for the Huskies out of the game in the second inning and forced NIU to throw four different pitchers in the outing.
The two teams will face off on Sunday for the series finale; the game is slated to start at 1 p.m.
For the latest news and updates on CMU Softball, follow the team on X (@cmusoftball) and Instagram (@cmichsoftball).
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
LHP/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
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