Firebells Erupt to Even the Series
The San Francisco Firebells entered Sunday facing elimination, down 2-0 to the Los Angeles Queens in the Women's Professional Baseball League Championship Series. Instead, they produced a 17-4 victory that set a WPBL single-game record with 20 hits and pushed the series to a winner-take-all Game 5. San Francisco had been regarded as the league's top offense during the regular season, leading the WPBL with 19 home runs and 142 runs scored.[S1]
The game was close early. Jill Albayati's two-run single gave the Firebells a first-inning lead, but the Queens answered with three runs in the bottom half, aided by a bases-loaded walk and Ashton Lansdell's go-ahead two-run single. San Francisco then took control, scoring 11 runs across the third and fourth innings. Joely Leguizamon's two-run double was part of a three-run third, and the Firebells exploded for eight runs on eight hits in the fourth, sending 14 batters to the plate.[S1]
Los Angeles struggled in the field and on the mound, committing five errors while none of its first three pitchers recorded more than 2 1/3 innings. Leguizamon, the Firebells shortstop, has been a standout in the series, going 8-for-14 at the plate, and would be a strong MVP candidate if San Francisco wins on Tuesday. Game 5 is set for 7 p.m. EDT at Robin Roberts Stadium, with coverage on ESPN+ and highlights available via the WPBL YouTube channel.[S1]
