The rain and hour-plus delay did nothing to sap the buzz and excitement swirling around Robin Roberts Stadium on Saturday, August 1.
A sellout crowd of more than 4,000 fans still crammed the North Side confines for the historic Women’s Professional Baseball League opener between the Los Angeles Queens against the New York Heights.
Former MLB manager Tony La Russa hurled the first ceremonial pitch to fellow Big Leaguer Dave Stewart before 99-year-old women’s baseball icon Maybelle Blair tossed another to WPBL No. 1 overall draft pick Kelsie Whitmore of the San Francisco Firebells.
“I don’t know if Kelsie wants me to say this, but Kelsie was very emotional,” said star Queens outfielder Mo’ne Davis. “I just went over there and gave her a hug. I know how much this means to her. Then Maybelle Blair, I went up to her. She’s the same person she’s always been. I told her to throw a strike and she was like, ‘You know I will throw a strike.’
“It definitely meant a lot to see all of them out there. I hope they enjoyed this game.”
Blair indeed fired right down the middle. This new generation didn’t disappoint either, despite all the elements working against them.
The Queens overcame a 7-2 deficit in the final four innings to tally a rollicking 10-8 victory, including four runs with two outs in final frame.
Queens manager Eric Young called up pinch hitter Isabella Villareal with runners on the corners following Amira Hondras’ game-tying single and belted the go-ahead 2-RBI double to deep center field.
Villareal had only just arrived that day, Young said.
“I think what you saw there was what you can expect from women’s baseball,” Queens assistant coach Emma Charlesworth-Seiler said. “We’re going to bring the passion. These women have been shut out of opportunities for a really long time, so when something like this comes up, they’re going to take advantage of it and show you guys what they have.”
Queens third baseman Ashton Lansdell also pulled off a couple slick throwouts to close out the night. The participants couldn’t have drummed up a better start to the inaugural season.
“We don’t know how we’re going to sleep tonight,” Davis said. “I’m just so excited. I feel like coming into this everyone was super excited. To put a show on like that, it was so special. This team, even though we’ve been together for such a short amount of time, they hold a special place in my heart because we’re going to be together for two months and to start off on a high note, it’s only going to go up from here.”
Indeed their story is only beginning.
“When I walked on the field, I started crying because of how much this moment meant and how much it meant to everybody — all the younger girls, all the older women who are Silver Bullets, AAGPBL,” Queens standout Maggie Fox said. “It means everything to us. For that fan engagement to see people coming out and loving what we love is just incredible.”
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Women’s Professional Baseball League puts on a show for Springfield
Reporting by Bill Welt, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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By Bill Welt, Springfield State Journal-Register | USA TODAY Network
