August 29, 2026 | Springfield, IL: The Queens broke the Heights four-game win streak, climbing back to the top of the leaderboard, and they did it by containing Denae Benites’ bat and Jaida Lee’s infallible arm.
Curaçao’s (RHP) Thaima Maximiliana took the bump for LA, and Japanese (RHP) Emi Saiki made her mound debut on a Heritage Weekend night, honoring her native country.
Samaria, the other Benítez – spelled differently, but sounding the same – extended her hitting streak to seven with a lead-off base hit in the first, and Caitlin Eynon drove both of them home on a two-out, 0-2 double down the left-field line.
NY rallied back to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the second with three runs on a single by London Studer (who never seems to miss an opportunity to hit and score), a walk, a passed ball and a stand-up double by Madison Willan, who’s been tearing up the joint for weeks.
Ashton Lansdell was crowned and draped in a cape after hitting a three-run blast in the bottom frame for her fourth home run of the season, giving the Queens a 2-run lead.
The Heights got a run back in the third due to another Studer single, and got the tying and go-ahead runs in the fourth off Claire Eccles’ double, Natasuki’s single, two sac flies, one from Claire O’Sullivan and the other from – yeah, you guessed it – Studer.
NY got even in the fifth on a bloop single from Davis to the gap in center, then blew it up in the sixth when Studer, who had hurt them at the plate, then helped them on the hill. London gave up four free passes, paving the way for Jaida Lee, who yielded a two-run no-doubt double to Davis. Meggie Meidlinger retired the side in order in the seventh.