September 11, 2026 | Springfield, IL: In Game 2 of their Semifinal series, it was a pivotal opportunity for San Francisco and a dire situation for Boston. The Hunters, yet to break the Firebells’ undefeated code, looked to be less Wile E. Coyote and more Davey versus Goliath.
But the ballclub that represents the City by the Bay didn’t have a rubber match on its to-do list for Sunday.
Boston’s Paloma Benach, mostly a reliever, in her third start of the season, escaped the first inning, leaving the bags full after surrendering a run. But as the game progressed, Benach and her bullpen buddy, Gigi Schiano, couldn’t keep the Firebells from doing what they do best – getting on base and crossing the plate.
To put it bluntly, the Firebells are scary good. How scary? Down 1-0, Boston was put in the dubious position of picking its poison, intentionally walking Kelsie Whitmore to face an equally formidable Skylar Kaplan. And when you choose to pitch to a .750 postseason hitter, a three-run homer can happen – and did.
Yet, despite SF giving Boston more gifts than a kid gets on Christmas morning, the Hunters only got to take a few of them home. In the bottom of the third, they booted Jill Albayati off the bump after the right-hander, who returned from a month-long stint on the injured list, gave up a pair of runs, leaving the bases loaded.
Niki Eckert came in relief and surrendered a first-pitch RBI base hit to Edith De Leija, and with the bases reloaded, Suzuka Yamamoto swung through a 3-2 pitch.
And when the score was a little too close for comfort, the Firebells answered back in the top of the fourth with a lead-off long ball – number 12 for Whitmore. Andréanne Leblanc, Alexia Jorge and Jua Park then combined to drive in two more.
In the bottom of the fifth, Boston was all in for a comeback. Alli Schroder led off with a long single to center, took second on a wild pitch, Bryant took a walk, and Skylar Kaplan robbed Ticara Geldenhuis of at least one RBI on a sliding catch, tossing from her knees to second to keep the runners in place.
Beth Greenwood took her second plunk for the team and, with the bases full once again, a wild pitch brought in a run. De Leija filled them with a free pass, and Yamamoto – back for bases-loaded seconds – sent a fly ball to center. Then, it was Whitmore’s turn to deny a Boston batter with a spectacular sliding catch of her own. With two away, Raine Padgham fanned on a 1-2 pitch.
The Hunters fought to the bitter end in the final frame. Geldenhuis reached first on a head-first dive to beat out an infield slow roller to short, but the Firebells quickly slammed the door, sealing a trip to the championship with a series-ending double play.
And now we wait to see if it will be the Heights or the Queens in the WPBL’s first Championship.