Wausau, WI- It was the most complete game of the season from the Wausau Ignite, as they earned a victory over the Minot Honeybees, 6-4. Wausau tallies their third win of the season and third win at home. 

Riley Stiles (Lake Forest College) got the start in the circle just a day removed from her four-strikeout performance through 4.1 innings against La Crosse. She let up three runs in the top of the first, but settled down to deliver three scoreless innings before being relieved by Ellie Curtis (UW-Parkside). Stiles ended the evening striking out one and letting up just three hits, while Curtis let up four hits and just one earned run through three innings.

Wausau found themselves down early and responded immediately, scoring four on RBI knocks from Mia Johnson (UW-Parkside) and Molly Fitzgerald (Missouri-KC). Fitzgerald crossed home on a passed ball during Kaylie Frydenlund’s (Minnesota-Duluth) at bat, putting the Ignite in front, 4-3. 

The Wausau field protected the one-run lead for the next five innings, allowing no runs thanks to outstanding fielding, like Quinn Marnocha’s (South Dakota State) dazzling diving catch in the fourth to end the inning. 

Insurance runs were a necessity against the Honeybees, who sport the league’s top offense, and the Ignite earned two on big plays from Riley Schwisow (Northwestern State) and Hannah Trzinski (Minnesota-Crookston). Schwisow crushed a homer to left to lead off the fifth, and Trzinski was narrowly safe at home on a Kaylee Kinsinger (Dodge City CC) grounder in the sixth to go up, 6-4.

Minot tacked on a run in the seventh, but failed to complete the comeback as Wausau walked away with the win.

The Ignite will take the weekend off before traveling on the road to La Crosse on Monday, with first pitch slated for 6:35 pm.

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