The Ignite Fall 6-1 to Habaneros in Game 3

The Wausau Ignite’s three-game road trip to Mankato ends in a season-series-tying 6-1 loss. Mia Johnson’s solo home run was the high point of a game that saw a full series of stagnant offense. 

How It Happened

Mia Johnson (UW-Parkside) led off the game with a double. Back-to-back strikeouts and a fly out stranded Johnson. Booke Steinhorst started the game for the Ignite. 

The Ignite went down in order to start the second. The Habaneros broke open the scoring with a solo home run to put the Ignite down 1-0.

Mia Johnson tied up the game in the top of the third when she smashed her league-leading and league-record-tying 15th home run of the season. The Habaneros responded by loading the bases, and a two-out, two-RBI double put the Habaneros back in the lead 3-1.

A one-out single for Claire Calmes (UW-Madison) was the first hit of the game by an Ignite player not named Mia Johnson. Calmes was left on base to close the scoring opportunity. Another sac fly by the Habaneros and a wild pitch brought home another two runs. 

Down 5-1, Sammie Kulak (San Jose State) found a two-out single that brought up Mia Johnson. A single in the infield put two on, but both were stranded. Maya Rudy (Benedictine) came in for relief in the fifth. Another sac fly brought across Mankato’s 6th run of the game.

The fifth inning closed swiftly with both teams going three up, three down. 

The Ignite, Fallyn Blankenship (Missouri S&T), found a two-out single, but it wouldn’t be enough to ward off the 6-1 loss. 

Coming Up Next

The Ignite will return home to face Grand Forks in a doubleheader on Thursday, the 16th, with first pitch set for 5:05 pm. 

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 the 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.