The WPBL kicks off its historic inaugural season with a classic East Coast/West Coast rivalry between the Los Angeles Queens and New York Heights. The Queens’ legendary Japanese baseball player, Ayami Sato, touted as one of the best woman pitchers in the sport, brings her darting slider and devastating curve to the rubber. She’s racked up six consecutive gold medals and three MVP titles at the Women’s Baseball World Cup.
Two position players to complement her mound performance are the power slugging, homerun launching Ashton Lansdell, who recently dominated the WBSC World Cup stage with a multi-homer seven RBI game. A versatile infielder/outfielder, who’ll keep her opponents guessing with her penchant for opposite field hits. Fellow Banana Baller, Mo’ne Davis, who in 2014, as a 13-year-old phenom, became the first girl to pitch a complete game shutout in the Little League World Series. Davis, known for her speed on the bases and line drive gappers, will now show off her sensational arm strength in center field.
The Heights will counter with Korean starter Rakyung Kim, who in 2015, at the age of 14, was the youngest member ever selected to the Korean Women’s National Baseball Team. In 2018 Kim earned global recognition as the strikeout leader at the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup. Her arsenal consists of a high-rising fastball, splitters, sliders and a devastating breaking ball.
Among New York’s prolific posse of position players are Banana Ball player; Denae Benites, a clutch hitting, extraordinary defensive catcher with elite framing skills, who has a winning percentage nabbing baserunners. Look for third base heroics from Kylee Lahners, one of the top power hitters in the league, who eats up baseballs at the hot corner she so fiercely defends.
Be sure to tune in. This historic once in a lifetime moment is one you won’t want to miss. And we’re just getting started.