Chasing the Crown
The two California-based women’s pro baseball teams, No. 1 San Francisco Firebells and No. 2 Los Angeles Queens, face off in a best-of-five series beginning today, and three players with San Diego ties are competing for the league’s inaugural title. San Francisco finished atop the regular-season standings at 10–5, while LA punched its ticket to the championship by taking down New York Heights in the semifinals.
How It Works
The title will be decided in a best-of-five series, where the first team to win three games is crowned champion. All games take place at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois, but there’s plenty of San Diego talent taking the field. Below, learn more about each player from the San Diego region.
Kelsie Whitmore
Hometown: Temecula, CA
Team: San Francisco Firebells
Pitcher and Outfielder
No. 1 overall pick and captain
WPBL homerun leader with 10 this season
Team USA veteran and 2022 USA Baseball Sportswoman of the Year
First woman to play in an MLB-affiliated professional league (2022)
Two-way player for the Savannah Bananas
Samantha Gutierrez
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Team: San Francisco Firebells
Catcher
Standout varsity softball player at Mater Dei Catholic in Chula-Vista
Selected No. 17 overall
Drafted for elite defense, toughness and ability to handle high-level pitching staffs
Brittany (Knudsen) Womack
Hometown: Escondido, CA
Team: Los Angeles Queens
Former SDSU softball standout, named to the Mountain West All-Time Team
Part of the USA Baseball women’s system since 2014 and a 2019 Pan Am Games gold medalist
Made history in 2022 as the first female official scorer at Petco Park
Now a teacher and softball coach in Escondido
Where to Watch
Watch your San Diego standouts compete on the WPBL Championship stage!
Watch at One of Us Bar:
Wednesday, 9/16 @ 4:00 p.m. PDT (Game 1)
Thursday, 9/17 @ 4:00 p.m. PDT (Game 2)
Saturday, 9/19 @ 4:00 p.m. PDT (Game 3)
Sunday, 9/20 @ 2:00 p.m. PDT (Game 4 if needed)
Tuesday, 9/22 @ 4:00 p.m. PDT (Game 5 if needed)
The Championships can also be streamed on ESPN+
Photo Credits: Women’s Professional Baseball League
