On August 2, 2026, Sarah Hodel and Rachel Koehler eagerly arrived at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois, hours ahead of the Women’s Professional Baseball League’s (WPBL) debut game. Hodel, an athletic trainer from Duluth, Minnesota, and a former speech team member, has long been an advocate for women in baseball, making attendance at this event a personal milestone.
The WPBL’s inaugural game, featuring Mo’ne Davis and the Los Angeles Queens against Denae Benites and the New York Heights, concluded with a 10-8 win for the Queens. The rainy conditions did not dampen the excitement surrounding this historic moment, marking the first women’s professional baseball league in the United States in nearly 30 years.
Koehler, a 33-year-old from St. Paul, Minnesota, shared her childhood dream of playing professional baseball, a dream that seemed unattainable until the emergence of the WPBL. The league offers fresh opportunities for women in sports, providing young girls with role models in the process.
The game saw Maggie Foxx make history with a two-run single, the league’s first hit, while Benites launched a significant two-run homerun in the fourth inning. Despite trailing 8-4, the Queens staged a comeback, scoring six runs in challenging weather conditions to secure victory.
The historic night saw a crowd of over 4,000 attendees. Fans arrived early, eager to collect a Mo’ne Davis bobblehead and enjoy the debut atmosphere. The stadium, home to the WPBL’s first season, experienced steady rain but the spirits remained high.
Antonietta Mabry, an accountant from Columbus, Ohio, expressed her excitement at having her daughter experience professional female athletes firsthand. The Mabry family attended the game, celebrating the visibility of positive female role models.
The WPBL encompasses four teams, with the Firebells and Boston Hunters scheduled to play following the historic matchup. Players from these teams participated in field preparations, showcasing teamwork beyond competition.
A ceremonial pregame event honored women’s baseball history, culminating in Maybelle Blair, a trailblazer from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League era, throwing the first pitch. At 99, her presence celebrated both past achievements and future possibilities for women in baseball.
Fans like Lindsey Keirsey, a high school history teacher, attended with family, appreciating the significant impact of women participating in professional sports. Her family, regular spectators at St. Louis Cardinals games, recognized the importance of this opportunity for women to make their mark in the sporting world.