Ignite Take Weekend Home Stand 2-1 Over Minot and Improve to Over .500

WAUSAU, WI. – A shutout relief performance from Riley Stiles (Lake Forrest) and a 3-4, 3 RBI, 1 home run game from Mia Johnson (UW-Parkside) propelled the Ignite to a weekend homestand victory over the Minot Honeybees. Trailing 5-3 after the third inning, the Ignite put together an excellent comeback to improve to 17-16 on the season. 

How It Happened

Maya Rudy (Benedictine) got the Sunday start for the Ignite, taking the Minot order three up and three down. A two-out walk drawn by Claire Calmes (UW-Madison) was left on to close the first inning 0-0.

The second inning saw the Honeybees break the scoring open with two singles and an RBI double, scoring one run before another single scored run number two of the inning for the Honeybees. Riley Schwisow (Northwestern State) led off the second inning for the Ignite with a walk and reached third on a Marley Teasley (Washington) single. A Viola Smith (Eastern Illinois) sac-fly brought home Schwisow. With two outs, a wild pitch scored Teasley to tie up the game 2-2.

A three-run home run for the Honeybees put them up 5-2 before Riley Stiles entered the game. Taylor Liebelt (Illinois State) led off the response from Wausau with a single. She would be put out following a Claire Calmes fielder’s choice. Mia Johsnons batted a single to advance runners before a Schwisow single and an error by the Minot defense scored Calmes. 

Down 5-3, Stiles and the defense took the Honeybees down in five batters. Viola Smith doubled leading off the bottom of the inning before coming home on a wild pitch, bringing the score to 5-4.

Stiles took the Honeybees three up and three down. The Ignite scored the tying run off of singles from Kylie Weingart (St. Thomas, MN) and Mia Johnson, followed by a Marley Teasley double.

Tied 5-5, the Wausau defense got out of a jam with two runners on base early in the 6th. Gracie Konkol (St. Thomas, MN) scored the go-ahead run with a leadoff inside-the-park home run. A single that got under the glove of the center fielder, rolled to the outfield fence, and combined with Konkol’s speed, the Igmite took the 6-5 lead. Kylie Weingart singled with one out, followed up with a Claire Calmes double to put two runners in scoring position. Mia Johnson blasted her 18th home run of the season to put the Ignite up 4. Riley Schwisow followed up with a single, stole second, and reached third on a Marley Teasly sac-fly. A wild pitch to Madison Werner brought home Wausau’s 10th run of the game. 

Once again, the Ignite played excellent defense around a runners-on-the-corners jam in the seventh to seal the comeback 10-5 victory. 

Stats and Facts

• Gracie Konkol’s inside-the-park home run is the first for the Ignite this season.
• Mia Johnson continues her record-breaking year with a league-leading 18 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 52 hits.
• The Ignite are the only team in the Northwoods with two pitchers having over 60 innings pitched. Zoey Mills (61.2) and Riley Stiles (60).

Coming Up Next

Wausau will hit the road and head out for another away game at Madison on Monday, the 20th. First pitch is set for 6:05 pm and can be caught 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 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.