By Spencer Gonzales

The first-ever season of Wausau Ignite softball came to an end last week in La Crosse, capping off an exciting and memorable summer. The Ignite accomplished a plethora of impressive feats through their first 42 games, all of which tell the story of the franchise’s inaugural year. Take a look at the stats that defined the season for Wausau!

 

4: Run-Rule Victories

When Wasuau’s bats were hot this summer, they were scorching, as seen in their four run-rule victories on the season. Three of the beatdown wins came in a four-game stretch late in the season, where the Ignite outscored their opponents, 39-19. The La Crosse Steam were the victims of three of Wausau’s dominant offensive performances, the first of which came on the Ignite’s opening day 13-2 sinking of the Steam. 

 

42: Games Played by Mia Johnson, Molly Fitzgerald, and Brooklyn Hofer

Johnson, Fitzgerald, and Hofer were ironwomen for the Ignite in year one, starting in every game of the summer. The duo of catchers in Johnson and Hofer swapped duties behind the plate for much of the season before Hofer took up the full-time catcher role and Johnson secured her position at third base. Fitzgerald was a corner infielder for much of the season, but made spot starts at second base and left field, where she racked up a few highlight reel plays, including a jaw-dropping home run robbery in Minot. Wausau’s trio of everyday starters find themselves in rare company as three of just six players across the league to have played in every game for the 2025 season.

 

9: Exciting Promotional Giveaways

To add to the inaugural season excitement there were nine games with promotional giveaways! Starting with an Ignite Rally towel on opening day, presented by Wipfli. Other giveaways included and Ignite Softball, T-shirt, Sunglasses, Mini-bats, light up sticks and more!

 

11: Offensive Categories Led by Riley Schwisow

The rising junior out of Northwestern State starred in her first summer of Northwoods action, leading the Ignite in 11 different offensive categories, including batting average (.414), runs (49), hits (48), doubles (11), triples (5), homers (9), walks (32), stolen bases (6), OBP (.546), SLG (.828), and OPS (1.374). Her offensive presence was felt leaguewide, as she topped the stat sheet for the entire Northwoods in three columns (triples, walks, OBP) and was top-five or better in six others. Schwisow’s domination at the plate earned her both a Home Run Competition nod and a Northwoods League Post-Season All-Star selection, cementing her in the Ignite record books. 

 

37: Total Home Runs Hit

The Ignite roster was built for power, as they crushed a total of 37 homers through their 42 games. The fans were digging the long ball all summer long, especially at Athletic Park, where Wausau smacked 21 over the fences. June 11th’s 14-12 loss to Madison featured the most homers (5) in an Ignite game ever, two coming from first-half standout Quinn Marnocha. Marnocha’s multi-home run performance was one of five from the team over the course of the summer, as Schwisow and Johnson each had two multi-homer games. 10 different Wausau players hit home runs this season, including Alysa Lowe, whose go-ahead two-run shot late in a road rubber match at Mankato won the Ignite both the game and their first series win in franchise history. Wausau’s ability to hit dingers made for electric moments all season long, leaving opposing pitchers stunned and fans stoked. 

 

9,247: Total Inaugural Season Attendance

The Ignite welcomed just shy of 10,000 fans to Athletic Park in their inaugural season! Opening Night on June 10th was the biggest game of the season, drawing an impressive sold out crowd of 1,227.

 

47: Mia Johnson RBIs in 2025

The UW-Parkside star arrived in Wausau this June off of her second-straight GLIAC Player of the Year Award and an NFCA all-region selection in hopes of building something new with the Ignite. Johnson did not disappoint, launching nine home runs and bringing in 47 runs, tied for the most in the Northwoods. Her stellar batting was complemented by her equally impressive fielding at third base and catcher, where she posted a .991 fielding percentage, the best from any player in the league with 240+ innings in the field. The fantastic two-way play from Johnson put the league on notice, as she secured a spot in the Home Run Competition and a Post-Season All-Star selection, adding to the decorated veteran’s list of career accomplishments.

 

105: Innings Pitched by Riley Stiles

Stiles racked up the innings this summer, logging the most out of any pitcher in the league. The Lake Forest pitcher was a workhorse for the Ignite in their first year, delivering in big moments all season, including a 9-8 win over Madison on June 15th, where she struck out the final batter to seal the victory. Stiles finished her second season of Northwoods play with seven wins, six complete games, 38 strikeouts, and improved marks in ERA and WHIP. Her work in the circle was crucial to Wausau’s growth through the summer. 

 

28: Ignite Players In Year One

The franchise’s first year featured 28 different players on the roster, with 10 of them sticking around for the entire season. From the players who signed temporary deals to the ones that went the distance, each woman who put on the navy and light blue earned a special spot in team history as a founding member of the Wausau Ignite. As the league and game continue to grow rapidly, the foundation that was laid in Wausau by Coach Jasmin Estrada and the team this year will foster the rise of Ignite softball for years to come.