Crystal Lake Central’s Makayla Malone wins pitchers’ duel against Marian Central

WOODSTOCK – Makayla Malone’s final pitch Thursday felt good right out of her hand.

That was the case for most of the Crystal Lake Central senior’s 124 pitches (91 for strikes) against Marian Central.

Locked in a pitchers’ duel against Christine Chmiel, Malone came out on top with a career performance in her first start of the season. Malone fired 17 strikeouts as the Tigers defeated the Hurricanes 2-1 in eight innings at Bates Park.

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Marian Central's Christine Chmiel throws a pitch to Crystal Lake Central's Liv Shaw during a nonconference softball game on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at bates Park in Woodstock. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver )

“We have an amazing, deep staff, and she’s certainly part of that,” Tigers coach Brian Strombom said of Malone. “Today, she was getting ahead most of the time. She was able to place the ball where it was going to be hard for [Marian] to mount an aggressive swing.

“They were caught having defensive swings. She had them off-balance a few times. She’s a terrific control pitcher, and I think she showed that tonight.”

Malone also showed off her swing-and-miss stuff, striking out every Hurricanes batter at least once. Five Marian batters struck out two or more times, but it was her composure late that shined.

With two outs and runners on first and third base in the bottom of the eighth, Malone caught No. 7 hitter Mia Convey looking for the final out. She allowed one walk in the complete game and struck out the side in the first, fourth and seventh innings.

“I was pumped,” Malone, a recent commit to NCAA Division III Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, said of the final strikeout. “It felt real good. I knew right when I let it go, this is it. This is going to be a strike.

“I was just focused on hitting my spot. I was focused on my breathing. I was just trying to work.”

Malone also had a hand in bringing in the game-winning run with a sacrifice bunt that advanced leadoff hitter Ella Arana to third base. Arana led off the eighth with an infield hit and stole second. After Malone bunted her to third, Liv Shaw hit a sacrifice fly to center field.

It was the first run for the Tigers (3-0) since the first inning. Arana also scored that run after a leadoff double. She moved to third on a wild pitch and scored with two outs when the Hurricanes didn’t cover first base on a ground ball hit between first and second.

“I want to lead off and set the tone for the team,” said Arana, who reached base in three of four plate appearances. “I have my slap, my swing, so my stuff was really working today. I was able to put balls in play and use my speed to beat it out.”

Chmiel, a junior for the Hurricanes (1-4), was equally as tough in the circle. She allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits, walking one and striking out 13.

In a 1-1 game in the sixth inning with two outs and a runner on second base, she struck out No. 6 hitter Cassidy Murphy during a 15-pitch at-bat in which Murphy fouled off eight pitches.

“My spins were really on today,” said Chmiel, who struck out the side in the first, third and seventh innings. “I just try and stay composed and don’t let the chatter get to me.”

Chmiel’s success has led to the Marian coaches allowing her to call her own pitches this year.

“She just throws hard all the time. She has great command of her pitches,” Hurricanes coach Paul Sandall said. “You can’t ask for a better pitch than her.”

Marian’s Lina Conner (2 for 4) had two of the seven hits allowed by Malone, including a double in the second that led to the team’s lone run following a wild pitch.

Arana, who plays center field, had a good view of Malone’s career performance and was appreciative of the effort.

“She didn’t let any ball get hit to center field, so she did an awesome job,” Arana said. “If that’s how we’re going to pitch all season, I’m so excited to play behind her.”