Mills and Gall Toss Complete Games in 4-0 and 10-9 Double Header Wins

Zoey Mills (EFSC) made history Thursday night, throwing Wausau’s first shutout and taking the league lead in complete games in 2026 with 5. Cassidy Galls’ (Drake) complete game and Mia Johnson’s (UW-Parkside) three-home-run performance found a 10-9 walk-off victory in fantastic fashion.

How It Happened Game One

Zoey Mills once again took the circle for the ignite and tossed her fifth complete game of the season. Unlike her others, Mills tossed a nine-strikeout shutout, igniting their 12th win of the season. Matching their win total from 2025 and leveling them at .500.

The second inning was the opening score for Wausau. Riley Schwisow (Northwestern State) acquired a leadoff single but was tagged out on Bree Urban (Memphis). Fielders choice Urban stole second and advanced to third on the subsequent Gracie Konkol (St. Thomas, MN) at bat. A Lily Wolf (Drake) single broke open the scoring, putting the Ignite up 1-0.

Wausau would score its last three runs in the fourth inning. Once again, Riley Schwisow led off with a single and advanced to third base on a Bree Urban double. Gracie Konkol brought home both with a double. A sac fly by Lilyy advanced Konkol to third, where another sac play from Taylor Liebelt (Illinois State) scored the Ignite’s fourth and final run after four innings. 

Mill’s shutdown performance and steady defence by the infield collected for Wausa’s first-ever shutout. 

How It Happened Game Two

The Ignite picks up where they left off in game one. Cassidy Gall made her return to Wausau this summer and, with the help of a double play, sent the Ignite up to bat. Taylor Liebelt drew a leadoff walk before stealing second. Marley Teasley (Washington) drew a walk, and a double for Claire Calmes (UW-Madison) put the Ignite up 1-0. Mia Johnson singled to bring home Teasley, and Calmes scored following aa pick-offattempt at second for the Ignite to take a 3-0 lead after one. 

Wausau and Mankato followed up by putting the next three batters for each team down three up and three down.

In the third inning, the Habaneros scored their first run of the day on an infield error. The ignite followed up with a Claire Calmes’ hit-by-pitch and Mia Johnson’s first homer of the day. 

With the Ignites up five, the Habaneros reared back. Several singles and uncontested steals allowed five runs to come across in the top of the third. Sammie Kulak (SJSU) drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the inning but was left stranded with the Ignite now trailing 6-5. 

Gall and the defence made up for their blunders the inning before, taking the next three Habaneros down before Mia Johnson smoked a solo shot to center field to tie up the game. 

In the sixth inning, a three-run homer put Mankato back in the lead. And down late, the Ignite responded. Sammie Kulak led off with a single before a Marley Tealsey single put two runners on. With two outs, Mia Johnson smacked her third home run of the game and 12th on the year to tie the game at 9-9.

The seventh saw a lead-off triple for the Habaneros, and decisive defense led to no runs crossing. Riley Schwisow led off with a walk, and Lily Wolf was hit by a pitch to extend the winning run to second. A Bree Urban fielder’s choice saw Schwisowow put out, but an error allowed Wolf to reach third safely. Sammie Kulak went on to walk off game two with a one-out dribbler to the second baseman that was bobbled. The Ignite won 10-9. 

Stats and Facts

• Zoey Mills is now tied for most wins (7) and has the most complete games in the Woods.
• Mia Johnson is now tied for second most home runs in the Northwoods with 13. 
• Johnson holds an 11-game on-base streak and has 34 RBI’s in her last 10 games.

Coming Up Next

The Ignite will host the Habaneros for the series finale in Wausau on Friday the 10th. First pitch is set for 6:35 pm on Flo Sports. 

You can stay up to date with the Ignite by visiting ignitesoftball.com and catching all games live on Flo Sports or select games on Women’s Sports Network.

 

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Leveraging the 31-year success of the Northwoods League, the first for-profit Summer Collegiate Baseball League, Northwoods League Softball (NWLS) is the first for-profit Women’s Summer Collegiate Softball League beginning play in the Upper Midwest in the summer of 2024. The purpose of the League will be to develop players for their college, Olympic and future professional play. Teams will be promoted similar to minor league baseball teams, playing games in front of fans in a fun, friendly, family-oriented environment.