KOR
▲ The WPBL announces Kim La-kyung's first strikeout of the tournament
South Korean women's baseball ace Kim La-kyung (New York Heights) started the opening game of the newly revived U.S. women's professional baseball league after 72 years, pitching strongly and recording the tournament's first-ever strikeout.
Kim started the home opener of the 2026 Women's Professional Baseball League (WPBL) against the Los Angeles Queens at Robin Roberts Stadium in Illinois on August 2 (Korean time), allowing 4 runs on 2 hits, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts over 4 innings.
New York led 8-6 through the 6th inning, putting Kim on the verge of claiming the honor of winning pitcher.
However, New York missed out on the victory after allowing a comeback with just one out remaining.
New York conceded 4 runs in the 7th inning alone, losing 8-10.
Since WPBL games are played in 7 innings, starting pitchers qualify for a win if they pitch 4 or more innings.
Although she missed out on the win, Kim became a player who set various milestones, including the first pitch and the first strikeout.
Kim has been an ace representing South Korean women's baseball, wearing the Taegeuk mark since her middle school days.
She majored in physical education at Seoul National University, balancing academics and athletics, and continued her career through a long rehabilitation process after undergoing elbow ligament reconstruction surgery in 2022.
Overcoming the limitations of South Korea's domestic women's baseball environment and choosing a new challenge, Kim played in the Japanese corporate league before taking on the U.S. stage with the launch of the WPBL.
The WPBL is the first U.S. women's professional baseball league to be held since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which ran from 1943 to 1954, and features four competing teams: New York, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Firebells, and the Boston Hunters.
Alongside Kim, other South Korean players competing in the league are catcher Kim Hyun-ah (Boston) and infielder Park Joo-ah (San Francisco).
Kim Hyun-ah and Park Joo-ah will play in a head-to-head match between their two teams at the same venue on August 3.
All WPBL games are held at the 5,200-seat Robin Roberts Stadium, with each team playing 15 regular-season games before determining the champion through the postseason.
(Photo: Captured from the social media of the Women's Professional Baseball League, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
