{"id":36812,"date":"2026-06-15T22:31:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T03:31:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wausau-ignite\/?p=36812"},"modified":"2026-06-15T22:31:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T03:31:49","slug":"ignite-drop-2-games-to-the-nightmares-in-madison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wausau-ignite\/2026\/06\/15\/ignite-drop-2-games-to-the-nightmares-in-madison\/","title":{"rendered":"Ignite Drop 2 games to the Nightmares in Madison"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wausau’s hot start snuffed out in game one and too late in game two.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

MADISON, WI. – The Ignite looked great offensively and defensively in the first game of their doubleheader in Madison. Everything was clicking, but the 5-1 lead they pulled over the Nightmares was erased just as quickly as their lead came. Game two was far different. Complete dominance from Madison before the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, where the Ignite brought too little too soon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How it Happened GAME 1\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

At the top of the first, Mia Johnson drew a walk and advanced to second on a Marley Teasley groundout but ended the half-inning left on base. Berritt Herr got her first Wausau start and first strikeout in the bottom of the first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To start the second, Brynn Daniel walked and would be put out on Megan McGinnis’ fielder’s choice. Riley Schwisow drew a walk, and a Mia Buske fielder’s choice put runners on the corners. Once again, the Ignite stranded runners to close the half-inning. Excellent fielding on three straight balls in the air put three Nightmares up and three Nightmares down to end the second scoreless.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the top of the third, Mia Johnson singled to get the go-ahead run on base and ended up stranding runners again. Berritt Herr rang up the second batter she saw in the bottom of the third to secure her second K. Madison scored first after putting runners on the corners. The Ignite ended the inning 0-1 following Berritt\u2019s 3rd strikeout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Trailing 1-0, Megan McGinnins doubled and reached 3rd on a passed ball but was left on base. Berritt Herr got her fourth and fifth strikeouts to help the Ignite go three up and three down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the top of the fifth, Taylor Liebelt and Kendyl Rainey drew walks, and following a Mia Johnson single to right field, loaded the bases. Pinch hitting for Marley Teasley, Quinn Marnocha extended her hit streak to five games and took the Ignite’s first lead of the game with a 2-RBI double. Claire Calmes singled and reloaded the bases with no outs. A Megan McGinnis dribbling single scored Mia Johnson and kept the bases loaded. Riley Schwisow then came in clutch with a two-RBI single that put McGinnis on third. Mia Buske reached first and put Schwisow on third with a fielder’s choice before being left on base. The Nightmares would respond with a 2-run homer to set the score at 5-3.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After a one-two-three inning to start the sixth, the Nightmares would take back the lead with a three-run home run and extend their lead with a bases-loaded walk. Berritt ended the inning with her sixth strikeout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Claire Calmes responded fast out of the gate with her first home run of the season to cut the Nightmares lead to 1. Brynn Daniel would force a walk, and Megan McGinnis advanced Daniel to third with a single to right field. McGinnis would advance to second with a stolen base. The Ignite would leave runners on first and third and drop game one 7-6.<\/span><\/p>\n

How it Happened GAME 2\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

To start game two, Claire Calmes wore a pitch off the helmet to reach first while Brynn Daniel drew a walk before both were stranded. Riley Stiles would get her first strikeout of the night, but not before the Ignite went down 2-0.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Quinn Marnocha found a gap and got a double to start the second inning to make it six straight games on base. A wild pitch would advance her to third, but she would end up left on base. The Nightmares lengthened their lead with a 2-RBI double and a 2-RBI single. Stiles struck out her second batter of the night just before another 2-run homer was hit by the Nightmares to make their lead 8-0.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The third was uneventful with Wausau going three up and three down. The Nightmares did not score off Brooke Steinhorst in her first inning of relief for Riley Stiles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brynn Daniel led off the fourth inning with a single. She reached second on a pickoff attempt thrown into foul territory before reaching third on a Gabriela Sosa sacrifice fly. Quinn Marnocha reached first on a walk. Once again, the Ignite closed the inning stranding runners on the bases. The Nightmares added to their lead, 9-0.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marley Teasley hit her first home run of the season to right field with two outs to make the score 9-1. Maya Rudy entered to close the game for the Ignite and wouldn’t give up a run in the fifth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brynn Daniel squeaked a hit in between the third baseman and shortstop to lead off the sixth. Pinch-hitting Riley Schwisow smoked a line drive into the left field corner and hustled out an RBI triple, then scored on the subsequent wild pitch to Gabriela Sosa, cutting the nightmare lead to 9-3. Marnocha reached on a walk, and a Megan McGinnis single put Marnocha on third. Mia Johnson eeked a single through the pitcher and third baseman to score Marnocha and advance McGinnis to third. The Nightmares immediately responded with another home run and an RBI single to set the score at 11-4.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the top of the sixth, the Ignite kept showing their unwavering fight with another Brynn Daniel single, a Gabriela Sosa walk, and a Quinn Marnocha RBI single<\/span><\/p>\n

Stats and Facts<\/b><\/p>\n