Softball: Fox Valley All-Area captain Murray ‘meets every challenge’ while pitching North Stars to two state titles

Recent graduate Paige Murray left her mark on the St. Charles North softball program.

And then some.

“Her impact on the program is immeasurable,” veteran North coach Tom Poulin said. “She left it better than she found it. She had unprecedented success on the field. She’s a 2-time state champion, a 2-time winning pitcher in the state championship game. Paige is an outstanding student and an incredible teammate. She made me a better coach. Paige is North Star softball. She is the perfect representative for the program, the school, the community and the city of St. Charles.”

And she’s the captain of the 2025 Daily Herald Fox Valley All-Area softball team.

“What sets Paige apart is she is super competitive and has such great talent and her character and morals still shine through,” St. Charles North junior-to-be catcher Ella Heimbuch said. “You can tell she plays with class. Kids sometimes will bicker and say things. She’s so talented and never says an ill word. Everybody respects her as a player and she always competes with class whether we are up or down.”

With Murray in the lineup the last 4 seasons, the North Stars were up way more than they were down. Murray was part of four North squads that went 97-28, won 4 Class 4A regional titles, 2 sectional titles and, of course, 4A state titles in 2022 and 2024 with Murray in the circle in those championship tilts in Peoria.

And Murray was her stellar self this spring, going 13-5 with a 1.80 ERA. She gave up 105 hits in 128 2/3 innings while striking out 141 and issuing only 20 walks. Opponents hit only .209 against her and had a .242 on-base percentage.

“I really can’t describe all she has done,” Poulin said. “We try to put together the most difficult and most challenging schedule every year and Paige has excelled against the best the state has to offer. This season, we even played top teams from Indiana, Kentucky and Wisconsin along with pretty much all the best in Illinois. For 4 years, Paige has met every challenge we have presented to her.”

But it’s Murray bat that also generated headlines this season. After focusing on her work in the circle the previous 3 seasons that resulted in cups-of-coffee season at-bat totals of 17, 32 and 33, Murray hit .412 (second on the team behind only Heimbuch) in 68 at-bats with 8 doubles and 20 RBI, while hitting a clutch .500 with runners in scoring position.

“Paige became one of our top hitters this season,” Poulin noted. “In the past she focused on pitching. She has always had a great swing and this season she showed it off.”

Murray added: “My hitting definitely improved. It was a new role I took on and I was happy to do so.”

In the circle, Murray simply continued doing what helped lead North to a nearly 100-win total over the last 4 years. She leaves North with a career 51-14 record with 550 strikeouts in 458 innings, while walking only 74.

“I rely on my spin a lot and trust my spin,” said Murray, whose fastball has been clocked in the low to mid-60s and calls her curveball her go-to pitch and her rise ball her strikeout pitch. “Getting ahead in counts against great hitters helped me a lot. I had great defense behind me and I trust them 100%. Going right at batters from the start made me effective.”

Heimbuch recalls last year’s state semifinal game where Murray gave up a home run against Oswego. “That game jumps out at me,” she said. “This girl hits a home run (in the top of the seventh with 2 outs) and Paige is super unfazed, calm and collected. You couldn’t see it in her face. Now the score is tied 1-1. She got us out of it and we score the next inning and win. Her being the backbone to our team and our rock really helped us against all the terrific competition we have seen. She doesn’t get messed up. When I catch her, it’s super easy to train her pitchers because you know where she will pitch it. I can trust her with everything because she doesn’t get frazzled.”

Fellow recent North graduate Mack Patterson concurs one of Murray’s greatest attributes the last 4 seasons has been how she conducts herself when the pressure is increased.

“The key characteristic that makes Paige so special is her composure and commitment,” said Patterson, who noted Murray, an avid baker, had a penchant for tripping and falling, which developed into a superstition where if she did that before a game it would be an automatic win.

“She is the most composed pitcher I know no matter the situation,” Patterson continued. “Whatever comes her way she can handle it. She is such an amazing team captain and leader. She leads with poise and composure. She stays calm and ready to respond and leads by example.

Speaking of great hitters, Murray and the North Stars competed in the brutally tough DuKane Conference where the top 5 teams each had 4 or 5 losses with North sharing this year’s crown with Glenbard North (both finished 10-4 in the league). St. Charles East, which finished sixth in the conference with a 7-7 record, won a 4A sectional title, while Wheaton North reached a sectional final. Wheaton Warrenville South won a regional title, while Glenbard North and Lake Park played in regional finals.

“Every year, our conference is always super strong. You never know what is going to happen,” Murray said. “It was the same this year. Everyone had really great lineups and great pitching. Coach Thijs (Dennison) and I planned how I was going to go at each batter. When you go through the lineup the fourth time, you have to switch it up. We did a lot of scouting and going into games I felt prepared.”

In terms of her future, Murray, who graduated with a 5.1 grade-point average at North, is continuing her family’s tradition and is headed to Purdue University in Indiana. If softball is still in the cards, it will be at the club level at the Big Ten Conference school where Murray plans on studying financial planning.

“I looked into playing softball in college, for sure,” said Murray, who marvels at her progress from the days of throwing exactly 100 pitches to her dad growing up to now. “I was totally in the recruiting process. My whole family has gone to Purdue. It’s a second home to me and my brother is still there. I wanted to try something different and figure out my life without softball. I love softball, but it can’t last forever.”

Murray’s 4-year run at North, however, will be etched in her memory forever.

“It has been amazing these last four years,” she said. “I love it so much. The players have all become really close on and off the field and the coaching has been amazing. Coach Poulin and Coach Tice are supportive and believe in me. What made me a good pitcher is all the support I have had from everyone. I can’t believe what has happened. It’s been amazing.”