Women’s Professional Baseball League hits it out of the park in inaugural season
Naomi Campbell, Contributor
Professional women’s baseball has officially hit the big screens in the United States with the launch of the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL). The four franchise teams, the Boston Hunters, Los Angeles Queens, New York Heights and San Francisco Firebells, created a huge impact in the first regular season for women’s pro ball.
During this first season, each team played out of Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Ill., taking away each club’s home advantage. Nevertheless, each team developed their own unique style of play, and players showcased their talent on the diamond, receiving recognition for this historic first in women’s sports.
The core four
The Boston Hunters experienced growing pains during this first season. Heading into the playoffs in last place, these women aren’t looking to back down. During their debut, the Hunters fell short, losing 11-3 to the San Francisco Firebells.
With powerful and experienced right-handed pitcher Alli Schroder and highly skilled catcher Hyeonah Kim, the Hunters have two intriguing players to watch out for moving forward. Kim has an impressive international résumé, including a batting title for most hits in the 2025 BFA Women’s Baseball Asian Cup, where she tallied 15 in seven games. Schroeder played as the first female player to sign as part of the Canadian Collegiate Baseball Conference with the Vancouver Island University Mariners back in 2021, helping spark a new era of play for women’s baseball.
Tied for second was the Los Angeles Queens with a record of 8-7. In the Queens’ first game—held in front of a sold-out crowd of over 4,000 fans—they defeated New York 10-8.
There have been two players who have stepped up to lead the Queens to success— third baseman Ashton Lansdell and centre fielder Mo’ne Davis. Lansdell had a wonderful first season in professional baseball. Through 15 games, she has compiled 21 hits and scored 21 runs, including four home runs. Davis played in 13 games, recording 10 outs and an additional nine assists.
Like Los Angeles, the New York Heights also sported an 8-7 record. By the end of the regular season, the Heights achieved many impressive milestones in their first season, including the second-best team batting average and the highest strikeout total among all pitchers.
Along with excellent ball play on either end of the diamond, the Heights saw contributions from several talented players, including infielder Madison Willan and catcher Denae Benites. Willan—the former goaltender for the University of Alberta’s women’s hockey team—contributed 15 outs and 19 assists. Meanwhile, Benites recorded 90 outs for her team with an impressive 11 home runs and 38 runs batted in (RBIs).
Topping the WPBL standings were the San Francisco Firebells, with a record of 10-5. After their fiery first season, they have many top-tier players to thank for their success. Leading the way for the Firebells was infielder Amanda Gianelloni and two-way player and Savannah Bananas’ talent, Kelsie Whitmore. Gianelloni recorded 16 hits and scored 17 runs, tacking on 12 RBIs. Whitmore had 23 hits, including 11 home runs, but that wasn’t all. In her six starts on the mound, she put up a record of 3-1, averaging 9.5 strikeouts a game.
Is the WPBL sustainable?
Building a new sports league requires significant effort to keep the operation running beyond the first year. According to Nola Agha, a sports management professor at the University of San Francisco, one of the biggest things a league needs is a dedicated fanbase. Having the first year exclusively played in Springfield, Ill., she called it a “hotbed of baseball interest”, which can later help kickstart a cascade of future fans.
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) started in 1997, and, like the PWBL, fan attendance was strong at the outset. According to Wikipedia, in the inaugural 1997 season, the average attendance was 9,661. The average attendance increased by 12 per cent in 1998. It eventually plummeted, and the market for women’s baseball slowed down, yet 30 years later, the WNBA is at an all-time high.
After the WPBL’s strong start, its viewership is expected to grow. Once the teams debut in their home cities, attendance is expected to surpass this season’s records.
As the first season of professional women’s baseball comes to a close, all four teams have established a strong basis for future seasons of the WPBL. Players from around the world created historic moments during this first season, delivering fantastic performances for fans to remember.
