Wausau, WI- It was a tough start to the series for Wausau, as they fell to Mankato by a score of 18-3 through five innings.
The Ignite got things moving in the first inning with a leadoff ground-rule double from Megan Mcginnis (St. Mary’s- MN), who was brought around to score by a Mia Johnson (UW-Parkside) RBI single.
The Ignite retired Mankato’s first three batters. Then, with one out in the top of the second, lightning and hail delayed the game for over an hour.
Action resumed with slick, slippery field conditions that affected play throughout the rest of the game. Sailor Hall and the Habaneros came swinging out of the break, putting up four runs in the bottom of the second, led by Hall’s two-run blast to right field.
Brooklyn Hofer (North Dakota) helped Wausau get back on the board with a solo homer in the third, but the Mankato lead would grow even larger in the bottom of a sloppy frame from the Ignite field. Two walks and two wild pitches, along with a Katy Olive home run made it a 10-2 ballgame.
Skylinn Pouge continued the red-hot night for the Habaneros bats with a grand slam to left field in the fourth. That blast contributed to four of the eight runs in the inning.
Kaylie Frydenlund (Minnesota-Duluth) pinch hit in the fifth and rocketed a homer to left field, but it wouldn’t be enough as the game was ended early with Wausau down by double-digits.
After Monday’s loss, the Ignite sit at 2-4 on the season and in fourth place in the league standings.
These two squads will face off again on Tuesday, with the first pitch set for 6:35 pm CT.
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