On August 2, 2026, Sarah Hodel and Rachel Koehler arrived early at Robin Roberts Stadium for the opening game of the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL). Hodel, reflecting on her past, shared, “Back in high school, I was on my speech team, and my informative speech was on women in baseball.” The moment of seeing a women’s professional baseball game finally came on Saturday night.
In a thrilling match in Springfield, Illinois, Mo’ne Davis and the Los Angeles Queens overcame Denae Benites and the New York Heights with a 10-8 victory, marking the return of professional women’s baseball in the U.S. after almost 30 years. Koehler, who played softball growing up, expressed, “I wanted to play baseball because going professional was always like the dream, but there were no opportunities … it’s amazing now.”
Maggie Foxx made history with the league’s first hit, a two-run single. Benites followed with the WPBL’s first home run, hitting a two-run drive to center field in the fourth inning. The Queens staged a comeback, scoring two runs in the sixth and four in the final frame, despite challenging weather.
Maggie Foxx shared her emotions, “When I walked on the field, I started crying because of how much this moment meant.”
Despite rain soaking the 101-year-old stadium, eager fans, exceeding 4,000, lined up hours early. Many hoped to snag a Davis bobblehead and browse merchandise. Maybelle Blair, a former player from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, posed for photos, adding to the occasion’s significance.
Antonietta Mabry, attending with her family, remarked, “It’s exciting to give her exposure to female professional athletes.” Her daughter, Rosalee, was thrilled to have her glove signed by San Francisco’s Amanda Gianelloni.
The Firebells and Boston Hunters, other teams in the league, played the following day. Various players helped clear the field after the rain. Rosalee Mabry, a young softball player, voiced her excitement about witnessing professional women play.
The WPBL honored women’s baseball history in a pregame ceremony, acknowledging past and future contributions. The highlight was 99-year-old Maybelle Blair throwing the ceremonial first pitch. Blair, on the WPBL advisory board, had played in the AAGPBL, inspiring the movie “A League of Their Own.”
Denae Benites praised Blair, “Maybelle’s been sticking with us since the beginning of this journey … She’s a special person.”
Lindsey Keirsey, a passionate AAGPBL fan, attended with her family. Reflecting on the experience, her daughter Hadley Keirsey said, “Even though it’s just a sport, I think that if we can do things like this and let women play, women can do so many more things.”
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