Wolverines Rally Past No. 22 Arizona State, Beat New Mexico State at Sun Devil Classic

Friday, February 20

Tempe, Ariz.

10:00 AM MT

Michigan

9-2

New Mexico State

5-8

New Mexico St.

Michigan

(Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Rally Past No. 22 Arizona State, Beat New Mexico State at Sun Devil Classic

2/20/2026 9:31:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan led early and rallied late to a 9-8 win against No. 22 Arizona State after beating New Mexico State 5-3 on day one of the Sun Devil Classic.
» Madi Ramey and Janelle Ilacqua combined for seven hits and four runs at the bottom of the order against ASU; Ramey used an RBI single to plate the winning run in the seventh.
» Lilly Vallimont posted two hits, two runs and two RBI against NMSU.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The University of Michigan softball team led early, then rallied late to knock off No. 22 Arizona State 9-8 to highlight its first day of action at the Sun Devil Classic on Friday (Feb. 20) at Farrington Stadium. The Wolverines also earned a 5-3 win over New Mexico State in their tournament opener.

Michigan (10-2) trailed 8-6 after the Sun Devils (10-2) used a pair of home runs to score five runs and claim their first lead of the game in the fifth inning. The Wolverines answered immediately, loading the bases with two outs for redshirt junior catcher Lilly Vallimont, who drove the 3-2 pitch back up the middle to plate senior first baseman Madi Ramey and senior second baseman Janelle Ilacqua, tying the game.

In her next turn at the plate, Ramey smacked a bouncing RBI single through the right side to drive home the game-winning run with two outs in the seventh.

Ramey and Ilacqua combined for seven hits, four runs and a pair of RBI at the bottom of the Wolverine order. Ilacqua went 4-for-4 with three runs scored for the best game of her career.

Junior right-handed pitcher Gabby Ellis (4-0) earned the victory in relief, allowing one hit and two walks -- one intentional -- after entering with the game tied in the sixth. The Sun Devils looped a one-out single to put the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh, but Ellis set down the next two batters on a fielder's choice and flyout on just six pitches to close out the game.

Michigan scored a run in all but two innings against Arizona State. Junior left fielder Ella Stephenson led off the second with a solo homer to left -- her fourth long ball in five games -- while junior center fielder Jenissa Conway tripled in consecutive at-bats to drive in runs in the third and fourth innings, sending the first off the wall in right-center and the second to the base of the wall in left-center. She is the eighth Wolverine in program history to record two triples in a game.

The Wolverines built a sizable early lead in the early game against New Mexico State (5-9), scoring a run with two outs in the first inning before putting up a four-spot in the third.

Vallimont extended the former frame with a two-out double and scored when junior designated player Erin Hoehn looped a single into left field. Vallimont drove in two of her own with a bases-loaded single to center in the third inning and scored two batters later when Stephenson laced a two-run single to the right-center gap.

NMSU spoiled the shutout bid with a three-run fourth, highlighted by a two-out, two-run homer. Sophomore RHP Kat Meyers (3-0) threw the complete game, striking out five while allowing the three runs on nine hits and a walk.

Michigan will continue play at the Sun Devil Classic with a pair on Saturday (Feb. 21), facing Southern Utah at 10 a.m. MT and Arizona State at 3:30 p.m. MT at Farrington Stadium.