The Los Angeles Queens will face the New York Heights in the first game of the Women’s Pro Baseball League today in Springfield, Illinois.
The best-known member of the Queens is outfielder Mo’ne Davis, who in 2014 became the first girl to pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series and first Little Leaguer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Davis played softball at Hampton University in 2020 and 2022, was an intern in the Dodgers’ video production department in 2023, received a master’s degree in sports management from Columbia University in 2024 and played for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Banana Ball Championship League earlier this year.
The Queens chose Japanese right-handed pitcher Ayami Sato with their first selection in the league’s draft, the second overall pick. The 36-year-old has helped lead Japan to six Women’s Baseball World Cup championships. The Queens’ lone Southern Californian is catcher Jamie Mackay, who played on the baseball team at Pacifica Christian High School in Newport Beach and college softball at Mississippi and South Carolina.
The 15-player roster also includes three other players from Japan — outfielder Suzu Narasaki, shortstop Emi Saiki and pitcher Ayuri Shimano — and one each from Australia (shortstop Caitlin Eynon), Canada (pitcher Michelle Roche), Curacao (shortstop Thaima Maximiliana) and Mexico (shortstop Samaria BenÃtez).
The team will be managed by Eric Young Sr., the Angels’ third base coach the past two seasons, who began his 15-season major league playing career with the Dodgers in 1992 and also played for them from 1997-99. New York’s first draft choice was third baseman Kylee Lahners, a former University of Washington and Laguna Hills High softball star.
New York is managed by Rachelle Rocky” Henley, who coached in San Francisco Youth Baseball, Junior Giants and the San Francisco Bay Sox Girls Baseball program. She is the only woman manager in the four-team league.
The nickname of each team in the league is inspired by a visionary woman who blazed her own trail and paved the way for those who followed,” according to the league.
The Queens’ nickname honors Lizzie Murphy, who in 1922 became the first woman to play against major league players in a charity exhibition at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. She billed herself as The Queen of Baseball.”
The Heights’ nickname honors Dorothy Height, a civil rights and women’s rights activist.
Like men’s baseball, there will be 90 feet between the bases and the pitcher’s mound is 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate. However, the games will be seven innings, not nine, and aluminum bats will be used.
Each team will play 15 regular-season games, with playoffs to follow. The entire season will be played at Robin Roberts Stadium, named in honor of the late Hall of Fame pitcher.
Saturday’s 3 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time game will be streamed by ESPN Select.
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