WEBVTT - In The Middle of Everything with Kelsie Whitmore, Mo’ne Davis, Denae Benites, and Alli Schroder 0:00:01.160 --> 0:00:03.520 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're trying 0:00:03.560 --> 0:00:06.560 not to freak out that it's already August and summer 0:00:06.640 --> 0:00:11.000 is almost over. What do you mean school supplies? Get 0:00:11.039 --> 0:00:15.640 out of here, target, I'm still spritzing. It's Monday, August third, 0:00:15.680 --> 0:00:17.360 and on today's show, we're going to hear from four 0:00:17.360 --> 0:00:20.720 stars of the brand new Women's Professional Baseball League, Kelsey 0:00:20.760 --> 0:00:23.560 went Moore of the San Francisco fire Bells, Mone Davis 0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:26.119 of the Los Angeles Queens, Danee Benitez of the New 0:00:26.200 --> 0:00:28.880 York Heights, and Ali Schroeder of the Boston Hunters. 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.120 I sat down with them. 0:00:30.040 --> 0:00:33.519 Before the first ever WPBL game in Springfield, Illinois on 0:00:33.560 --> 0:00:37.600 Saturday to talk about being first, living out a dream, 0:00:37.600 --> 0:00:39.920 trying to ensure that young girls will never hear the 0:00:39.920 --> 0:00:43.960 word impossible, and finding fun in the middle of nowhere, sorry, 0:00:44.040 --> 0:00:48.640 the middle of everything. Plus a plumb assignment that's why 0:00:48.720 --> 0:00:52.279 she's a Goat, and Hooper's on campus Unite. It's all 0:00:52.280 --> 0:01:00.360 coming up right after this Welcome back slices. Here's what 0:01:00.400 --> 0:01:06.119 you need to know today, starting with hoops. Sunday's WNBA 0:01:06.200 --> 0:01:09.559 trade deadline saw a few big names switching teams first. 0:01:09.640 --> 0:01:12.160 We got news Friday that the Toronto Tempo had acquired 0:01:12.160 --> 0:01:15.520 forward Anissa Morrow from the Connecticut Sun. Morrow, who was 0:01:15.520 --> 0:01:18.000 the number seven pick in the twenty twenty five draft, 0:01:18.120 --> 0:01:20.240 missed three weeks to a leg injury last month, but 0:01:20.360 --> 0:01:22.880 is coming off back to back twenty one point games 0:01:22.880 --> 0:01:25.600 since she returned. The Sun get a twenty twenty eight 0:01:25.680 --> 0:01:28.560 draft second round pick and the rights to Maria Masha 0:01:28.640 --> 0:01:32.160 Clandakova in the deal. Clandakova is a six four forward 0:01:32.160 --> 0:01:34.440 who's played three seasons off and on in the w 0:01:34.600 --> 0:01:37.600 since being drafted in twenty eighteen, most recently playing with 0:01:37.640 --> 0:01:40.880 the Minnesota Links last season. The New York Posts Matteline 0:01:40.920 --> 0:01:43.400 Kenny reported that the New York Liberty had also looked 0:01:43.400 --> 0:01:44.880 into trading formorrow, but it. 0:01:44.880 --> 0:01:45.880 Didn't come to fruition. 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:49.160 On Sunday, the biggest trade went down with the La 0:01:49.240 --> 0:01:52.080 Sparks sending five time All Star Kelsey Plum to the 0:01:52.080 --> 0:01:55.520 Phoenix Mercury. According to ESPN, the Sparks get twenty twenty 0:01:55.520 --> 0:01:59.520 five WNBA All Rookie Team selection Monika Coha mccannie, plus 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:01.560 a twenty two, twenty seven first round draft pick and 0:02:01.600 --> 0:02:04.080 a twenty twenty eight second round draft pick in the deal. 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:04.720 Now. 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:07.280 Plumb arrived in La via a three team trade ahead 0:02:07.280 --> 0:02:10.000 of last season, and the Sparks stumbled to a twenty 0:02:10.040 --> 0:02:13.760 one and twenty three finish, missing the playoffs. Plumb started 0:02:13.760 --> 0:02:16.400 hot this year, but injuries have kept her out since June, 0:02:16.480 --> 0:02:19.639 and the Sparks have struggled again, firing GM Reagan Peebley 0:02:19.680 --> 0:02:23.320 on July twelfth and losing six in a row since. Meanwhile, 0:02:23.320 --> 0:02:25.760 the Mercury made the finals last year but lost more 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:27.800 talent than they added in the off season, and they're 0:02:27.840 --> 0:02:31.520 disappointing this season as well, sitting at eleven and eighteen now. 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:33.880 The Mercury better hope Plumb is interested in re upping 0:02:33.960 --> 0:02:36.640 with them beyond this half season rental, or this deal 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:39.120 is going to look like a disaster, especially since the 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:41.080 draft pick they're giving up next year will be no 0:02:41.200 --> 0:02:44.520 lower than number seven if they missed the playoffs as expected. 0:02:44.919 --> 0:02:47.639 Our friends over at No Offseason did an emergency podcast 0:02:47.680 --> 0:02:50.600 about this Kelsey Plum trade, with lots of conversation around 0:02:50.600 --> 0:02:53.280 the many tentacles involved, so go check it out if 0:02:53.280 --> 0:02:53.959 you want to hear more. 0:02:54.800 --> 0:02:56.880 More. W a lot of games over the weekend, but 0:02:56.919 --> 0:02:57.919 we wanted to call out a. 0:02:57.840 --> 0:03:00.680 Couple results that caught our eye, Starting with Friday night's 0:03:00.680 --> 0:03:03.480 game between the Dallas Wings and the Washington Mystics, an 0:03:03.560 --> 0:03:07.320 eighty one to seventy five Mystics win. This young DC 0:03:07.480 --> 0:03:10.640 team has been showing great progress as the season goes on, 0:03:10.720 --> 0:03:13.080 and they now own a four game win streak for 0:03:13.160 --> 0:03:15.800 the first time since September of twenty twenty. Now, if 0:03:15.840 --> 0:03:18.280 you don't follow them already on social you're missing out 0:03:18.280 --> 0:03:22.200 on so much postgame joy from coach Sidney Johnson and 0:03:22.240 --> 0:03:26.760 his locker room antics and celebrations. Speaking of teams showing progress, 0:03:26.800 --> 0:03:29.440 a big couple days for the Chicago Sky. First, the 0:03:29.480 --> 0:03:32.360 team enjoyed the season debut of DJ Carrington on Thursday 0:03:32.440 --> 0:03:34.840 night in a ninety four eighty eight win over the Sun. 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:38.000 Carrington joined the skyvia free agency this past offseason, but 0:03:38.080 --> 0:03:39.920 she had to sit out the first twenty seven games 0:03:39.920 --> 0:03:42.720 of the season recovering from a sprained foot. Nice to 0:03:42.720 --> 0:03:45.360 see her back on the court. On Saturday, the Sky 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:48.760 continued their winning ways as stand out undrafted rookie Sidney 0:03:48.760 --> 0:03:51.680 Taylor had twenty nine points, including a three pointer with 0:03:51.760 --> 0:03:54.360 less than a second remaining for the Sky to upset 0:03:54.360 --> 0:03:58.120 the Las Vegas Aces eighty four eighty three. We were 0:03:58.160 --> 0:04:00.800 also watching a lot of Indiana Fever Act this weekend. 0:04:01.080 --> 0:04:03.200 On Friday, the Fever took down the Portland Fire one 0:04:03.320 --> 0:04:06.440 twelve ninety eight behind twenty six points, ten rebounds, and 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:10.000 ten assists from Caitlin Clark. Kelsey Mitchell added twenty six 0:04:10.040 --> 0:04:12.880 points and Eliah Boston had fourteen points and nine rebounds 0:04:12.880 --> 0:04:15.760 in that one. But Sunday saw the end of the 0:04:15.800 --> 0:04:17.920 Fever's five game win streak as they fell to the 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:21.200 Minnesota Links one oh eight one hundred. Kelsey Mitchell had 0:04:21.200 --> 0:04:23.720 thirty seven points in the loss, just one fewer than 0:04:23.760 --> 0:04:27.240 her career high. Meantime, Olivia Miles and Courtney Williams led 0:04:27.279 --> 0:04:29.239 the Links in the wind with twenty eight and twenty 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:34.000 seven points respectively. Speaking of Sunday's Fever Links game, it 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:36.839 was the third straight Fever contest that drew a rally 0:04:36.880 --> 0:04:40.680 beforehand as a result of Sophie Cunningham's recent comments advocating 0:04:40.720 --> 0:04:44.120 for the exclusion of trans athletes and girls and women's sports. 0:04:44.160 --> 0:04:46.360 Minnesota head coach and friend of the Show, Cheryl Reeves 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:48.159 showed up to that game in a shirt that read 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:52.640 trans Kids Belong. ESPN showed footage of Reeve and Sophie 0:04:52.640 --> 0:04:56.320 Cunningham speaking at center court pregame, and Reeve was asked 0:04:56.360 --> 0:04:58.560 about the chit chat after the game and mostly just 0:04:58.720 --> 0:05:01.320 stated that it was good and useful to talk in person, 0:05:01.800 --> 0:05:03.479 and that even though they might not share the same 0:05:03.520 --> 0:05:06.320 opinion on everything, it's important that they both be thoughtful 0:05:06.400 --> 0:05:09.960 about how they use their platform. Earlier this weekend, Reeve 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:13.080 reiterated her support for transgender athletes in a media session. 0:05:13.360 --> 0:05:14.000 Take a listen. 0:05:15.000 --> 0:05:18.280 Everyone has a right to peacefully assembly right. That's whether 0:05:18.360 --> 0:05:20.440 you agree with them or not, It doesn't matter, you know, 0:05:20.480 --> 0:05:23.120 in terms of you know, my views come from a 0:05:23.160 --> 0:05:27.760 space of inclusion. And the narrative that I think that 0:05:27.920 --> 0:05:34.520 is problematic is to suggest that number one, that transgender 0:05:34.720 --> 0:05:37.839 athletes are the biggest problem in women's sports. And I 0:05:37.839 --> 0:05:41.960 think this is what's bothersome is that there's a faction 0:05:42.040 --> 0:05:45.240 of people in our country that are making this a 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:46.040 massive issue. 0:05:46.040 --> 0:05:47.200 We have some issues. 0:05:48.760 --> 0:05:53.080 Number one, we need to protect trans kids. What gets 0:05:53.160 --> 0:05:57.520 nuanced is, you know, when you're beyond puberty, when you're 0:05:57.520 --> 0:06:00.760 an Olympic sport, when you're we have scholars and that 0:06:00.800 --> 0:06:04.080 sort of thing. That's where I say that common sense 0:06:04.120 --> 0:06:08.400 people get together and you find common ground to find 0:06:08.440 --> 0:06:11.360 a way to be inclusive. The answer isn't no. 0:06:12.440 --> 0:06:15.360 You can always count on Cheryl Reeve to show up 0:06:15.440 --> 0:06:17.400 when it counts. We don't have time to play all 0:06:17.440 --> 0:06:19.839 her comments from that media session, but they're worth a listen. 0:06:20.160 --> 0:06:22.120 We'll link to the full video in the show notes. 0:06:22.880 --> 0:06:26.400 Oh In one more WNBA note, Michelle Onya has signed 0:06:26.400 --> 0:06:29.760 a developmental player contract with the Fever, becoming the first 0:06:29.839 --> 0:06:33.160 player from the Upshot League's inaugural season to earn a 0:06:33.240 --> 0:06:37.039 WNBA opportunity. On Youa played for the Charlotte Crown, averaging 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:39.559 over nine points and nearly seven rebounds in her twenty 0:06:39.560 --> 0:06:43.080 one games with Charlotte. To College Hoops, more than one 0:06:43.120 --> 0:06:46.640 hundred women's college basketball players have joined a unionization campaign 0:06:46.640 --> 0:06:50.679 with the United College Athletes Association, marking a historic push 0:06:50.720 --> 0:06:54.719 to unionize and be recognized as employees. Former NCAA track 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:58.040 athlete Andrew Cooper started UCAA in twenty twenty one as 0:06:58.040 --> 0:07:01.800 a nonprofit advocacy group, and in announcing this new move 0:07:01.839 --> 0:07:04.719 on Friday, a statement on the UCAA website read, in 0:07:04.760 --> 0:07:07.360 part quote, we need the same structure that grants pros 0:07:07.400 --> 0:07:10.200 the right to negotiate the conditions of their careers a 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:14.000 collective bargaining agreement end quote. This group marks the largest 0:07:14.000 --> 0:07:17.040 group of college athletes to formally push to collectively bargain 0:07:17.080 --> 0:07:20.320 with their schools. The NCAA has, of course, long opposed 0:07:20.360 --> 0:07:23.600 the idea of athletes being deemed employees, saying they view 0:07:23.680 --> 0:07:26.600 college sports as an extracurricular activity that's part of. 0:07:26.520 --> 0:07:27.560 An athlete's education. 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:30.760 We'll keep you posted on how this latest effort plays 0:07:30.760 --> 0:07:35.880 out to baseball Women's Professional Baseball and the inaugural game 0:07:35.920 --> 0:07:39.240 of the new WPBL, The Los Angeles Queens defeated the 0:07:39.240 --> 0:07:41.600 New York Heights ten to eight on Saturday in Springfield, 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:45.320 Illinois to claim the league's first dub. LA scored two 0:07:45.400 --> 0:07:47.720 runs in the sixth inning and four runs in the 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:51.080 seventh and final inning to secure the comeback win. Queen's 0:07:51.080 --> 0:07:53.960 outfielder Monet Davis, who you'll hear from in just a minute, 0:07:54.120 --> 0:07:56.960 scored the league's first ever run on a Maggie Fox hit, 0:07:57.280 --> 0:08:00.360 while Heights catcher Dne Benitez, who you'll also hear from, 0:08:00.680 --> 0:08:03.080 hit the first home run in league history, part of 0:08:03.080 --> 0:08:05.520 a four for four night for Benitez in her team's 0:08:05.560 --> 0:08:10.000 losing effort. To Athletes Unlimited, coming off as successful second 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:13.400 season of their new pro softball league, the AUSL, Athletes 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:16.680 Unlimited has announced their pausing AU Pro Volleyball for the 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:19.920 twenty twenty sixth season and AU Pro Basketball for the 0:08:19.920 --> 0:08:22.800 twenty twenty seventh season. In a statement, the org said 0:08:22.800 --> 0:08:25.800 it would quote thoughtfully reimagine the future of those properties 0:08:25.840 --> 0:08:28.720 to reflect the continued growth and evolution of both sports 0:08:29.120 --> 0:08:33.040 end quote. To golf, Japan Shiho Kawak won the AIG 0:08:33.160 --> 0:08:36.800 Women's Open in England on Sunday, her first ever major title. 0:08:37.120 --> 0:08:39.480 To earn the victory, Kwaky had to beat Germany's Ester 0:08:39.600 --> 0:08:42.440 Henselight in a sudden death playoff, sealing the deal with 0:08:42.480 --> 0:08:45.400 a par on the second extra hole. US pro Nelly 0:08:45.480 --> 0:08:48.280 Korda and Thailand's Gino Titskun were two of the favorites 0:08:48.320 --> 0:08:51.240 going into the tournament. They ended the weekend tied for fourth. 0:08:51.960 --> 0:08:54.679 To soccer, an update on Gotham FC and US women's 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:57.880 national team star Emily's Sonnet. Gotham announced Friday that the 0:08:57.920 --> 0:09:01.120 surgery Sonnet underwent last week was for a ruptured pateller 0:09:01.200 --> 0:09:03.440 tendon in her left knee and that she'll miss the 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:07.360 remainder of the NWSL season. No timetable for return was given, 0:09:07.360 --> 0:09:09.520 but this kind of injury could very well affect the 0:09:09.559 --> 0:09:12.440 thirty two year old defenders availability for the World Cup 0:09:12.520 --> 0:09:15.360 next summer. We have no doubt that Sonnet, who has 0:09:15.360 --> 0:09:18.160 one hundred and eighteen caps with the national team, will 0:09:18.160 --> 0:09:20.360 do everything in her power to be ready for Brazil. 0:09:21.280 --> 0:09:24.560 More NWSL Friday saw a hat trick from North Carolina 0:09:24.600 --> 0:09:27.360 Courage forward Evelyn Ej in a five tozier route of 0:09:27.400 --> 0:09:31.040 the Orlando Pride. That's seven goals in eight games for 0:09:31.080 --> 0:09:34.520 the Swedish standout Ej and the first Swedish hat trick 0:09:34.640 --> 0:09:39.400 in NWSL history. Saturday's game between Seattle RAINFC and BFC 0:09:39.600 --> 0:09:42.760 was a spicy one with a lot of early action. First, 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:44.760 in the fifth minute, me Official found the back of 0:09:44.800 --> 0:09:47.520 the net for Seattle, followed by another rain goal in 0:09:47.559 --> 0:09:50.880 the tenth minute, this one from Matti Dollen. BFC answered 0:09:50.880 --> 0:09:53.080 with a goal by Hannah Bbar just three minutes later, 0:09:53.400 --> 0:09:56.480 and then in the seventy fifth minute, BFC's Kira Berry 0:09:56.480 --> 0:09:59.480 scored to tie the game to too but it wasn't over. 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:02.920 Dag veteran Jess Fishlock came in as a late substitute 0:10:02.960 --> 0:10:05.800 and sealed the deal for Seattle, striking and scoring just 0:10:05.840 --> 0:10:09.120 a minute after she subbed in, marking Seattle's first ever 0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:12.600 victory against the Bay Area team. The winning goal also 0:10:12.640 --> 0:10:17.200 marked Fishlock's fiftieth career NWSL regular season tally and achievement 0:10:17.280 --> 0:10:20.680 only nine other players in league history have accomplished. It's 0:10:20.720 --> 0:10:24.000 so great to see Fishlock thriving after that terrible early 0:10:24.040 --> 0:10:27.239 season injury we thought might end her final season prematurely. 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.240 Also on Saturday, the Kansas City Current hide Angel City 0:10:31.280 --> 0:10:33.959 FC one to one, and Sam Kerr scored the lone 0:10:34.000 --> 0:10:35.640 goal in Gotham's one nail. 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:36.760 Win over the Houston Dash. 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:40.080 We're recording this before Sunday evenings kickoff, so we'll put 0:10:40.120 --> 0:10:42.800 a link to the results in the show notes. Finally 0:10:42.840 --> 0:10:45.160 to cycling, the Tour de France fem of x Swift 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:47.960 got underway over the weekend and so far one cyclist 0:10:48.080 --> 0:10:51.559 is leading the pack. Lorena Webis from the Netherlands, won 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:53.560 the first stage of the race on Saturday with a 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:56.760 dominant sprint on an uphill finish in las En. Then 0:10:56.760 --> 0:10:58.920 On Sunday, she did it again with a sprint win 0:10:59.000 --> 0:11:02.080 in Stage two in Geneva to extend her overall lead. 0:11:02.440 --> 0:11:04.839 On Monday, Webis and the other cyclists, we'll be back 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:07.560 on the bike with Stage three taking the peloton across 0:11:07.600 --> 0:11:10.760 the Swiss border into France. We'll keep you posted as 0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:15.840 they make their way south to Nice throughout the week. Okay, 0:11:15.840 --> 0:11:18.600 slices before we get to my interview at the wpbl 0:11:18.679 --> 0:11:21.800 stars a moment to recognize what was truly a magical 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:25.000 event down in Springfield for opening Day. Now, the weather 0:11:25.160 --> 0:11:29.520 didn't cooperate. There was rain off and on the entire morning, afternoon, 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:32.600 and evening, but it didn't keep the fans away. A 0:11:32.640 --> 0:11:34.760 sold out crowd waited in line to get into Robin 0:11:34.840 --> 0:11:38.520 Roberts Stadium, to buy oodles of merch, and to patiently 0:11:38.600 --> 0:11:41.320 endure an hour plus rain delay before the powerful opening 0:11:41.400 --> 0:11:45.160 ceremony finally began. Fans of all ages, including a mom 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:49.040 and toddler in matching Rockford Peaches dresses, witnessed. Members of 0:11:49.080 --> 0:11:52.079 the All American Girls Professional Baseball League passed the torch 0:11:52.160 --> 0:11:55.000 to a new era of players. Ninety nine year old 0:11:55.080 --> 0:11:57.920 legend Maybel Blair told me she was surprised but thrilled 0:11:57.960 --> 0:11:59.839 to be quote on the right side of the dirt 0:12:00.120 --> 0:12:03.280 when this day finally came. It's been seventy plus years 0:12:03.320 --> 0:12:05.520 since the women, made famous by a league of their own, 0:12:05.600 --> 0:12:08.360 last took the field, and thirty years since the short 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:11.400 lived Ladies Professional Baseball League, which played in nineteen ninety 0:12:11.400 --> 0:12:14.840 seven and part of ninety eight before folding on Saturday. 0:12:15.240 --> 0:12:18.920 The rain ended up competing with tears from players, fans, 0:12:19.000 --> 0:12:22.560 and WPBL officials and stakeholders who fought to make this 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:24.920 day happen. You can check out a bunch of photos 0:12:24.960 --> 0:12:27.640 and videos from the day and the game on my Instagram. 0:12:27.840 --> 0:12:30.280 It's linked in the show notes. Now, before the stands 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:33.160 filled up with fans and the action began, I sat 0:12:33.200 --> 0:12:35.760 down with four players, one from each of the league's 0:12:35.800 --> 0:12:38.720 four inaugural teams. You'll hear a few sounds from the 0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:41.440 ballpark during the interview, also a train that goes by, 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:44.400 and maybe occasionally the drip, drip drip of the rain 0:12:44.559 --> 0:12:47.800 that tried to spoil the day but didn't. When we 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.560 come back, you'll hear that great convo with Monette, Dney 0:12:50.720 --> 0:13:01.480 Ali and Kelsey stick Here. All right, let's produce the incredible, amazing, 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:03.200 groundbreaking women that are here. 0:13:03.040 --> 0:13:03.680 With me today. 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:06.280 A pitcher for the San Francisco fire Bells who also 0:13:06.320 --> 0:13:09.000 plays for the US national baseball team and the Savannah Bananas. 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:10.480 First overall pick in. 0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:13.040 The WPBL Draft, she played college softball for cal State 0:13:13.040 --> 0:13:16.160 Fullerton Baseball professionally for multiple teams, and was the first 0:13:16.160 --> 0:13:18.200 woman to appear in the starting lineup in an Atlantic 0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:18.719 League game. 0:13:18.720 --> 0:13:23.120 It's Kelsey Wentmore also joining me. 0:13:23.160 --> 0:13:25.560 She's an outfielder for the Los Angeles Queens who also 0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:28.720 plays for the Indianapolis Clowns. She became famous worldwide as 0:13:28.720 --> 0:13:30.400 one of two girls who played in the twenty fourteen 0:13:30.400 --> 0:13:32.480 Little League World Series and the first girl to earn 0:13:32.480 --> 0:13:34.400 a win and throw a shutout in the Little League 0:13:34.400 --> 0:13:36.679 World Series history, earning a spot on the cover of 0:13:36.720 --> 0:13:39.840 Sports Illustrated magazine. Went on to play softball at Hampton University. 0:13:39.880 --> 0:13:44.840 It's Monete Davis also with me, catcher for the New 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:47.520 York Heights, who also plays for the Loco Beach Coconuts. 0:13:47.679 --> 0:13:50.280 A four time USA Baseball Women's national team athlete, she 0:13:50.360 --> 0:13:52.559 was the only girl to play varsity baseball in Las Vegas, 0:13:52.559 --> 0:13:54.559 and in her free time she's an EMT and a 0:13:54.640 --> 0:13:57.720 volunteer firefighter. It's Dane Benitez. 0:14:00.520 --> 0:14:02.280 Did people ever call you Danita Banita? 0:14:02.400 --> 0:14:06.720 Because that's what I'm going to call you. Danita Beanita 0:14:06.840 --> 0:14:09.080 is what I'm going with. Finally, she's a pitcher for 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:11.640 the Boston Hunters who also plays for the Canada national 0:14:11.640 --> 0:14:14.680 baseball team. She played her college ball at Vancouver Island University, 0:14:14.880 --> 0:14:18.120 becoming the first female player in the Canadian College Baseball Conference. 0:14:18.360 --> 0:14:21.880 A firefighter with the BC Wildfire Service, It's Ali Schroeder. 0:14:25.720 --> 0:14:27.000 Happy opening Day. 0:14:27.560 --> 0:14:29.680 Today, we're gonna get La versus New York. Tomorrow we're 0:14:29.680 --> 0:14:34.160 getting Boston versus San Francisco. And since we're here in Springfield, Illinois, 0:14:34.360 --> 0:14:36.880 I'm going to start with a question in honor of 0:14:36.880 --> 0:14:40.280 Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's birthplace. Have you guys seen any 0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:41.360 Abraham Lincoln's around here? 0:14:41.440 --> 0:14:42.480 Yet? 0:14:43.640 --> 0:14:47.000 There is one in our hotel. There's like a cutout. Okay, 0:14:47.560 --> 0:14:48.000 that's it. 0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:50.680 I've started an honest ape. Count demm at two so far. 0:14:50.840 --> 0:14:53.400 So this game is called honest ape. So you must 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:56.440 be honest. You can answer one of two questions. What's 0:14:56.480 --> 0:15:01.440 your most embarrassing habit or something about you that most people, even. 0:15:01.280 --> 0:15:02.800 A lot of your friends, don't know. 0:15:03.680 --> 0:15:06.400 Kelsey, I'm gonna need them to go first, because I 0:15:06.480 --> 0:15:07.920 actually think about this. 0:15:08.120 --> 0:15:09.760 Well, now you've got some embarrassing habits. 0:15:10.320 --> 0:15:11.280 I'm an iPad kid. 0:15:11.880 --> 0:15:14.640 I cannot like I have to when I'm eating, I 0:15:14.640 --> 0:15:17.440 have to watch something on my laptop or my iPad. 0:15:17.560 --> 0:15:20.040 I like it's it's just mandatory. 0:15:19.960 --> 0:15:22.680 No conversation or no, no no, and then I get 0:15:22.760 --> 0:15:24.560 upset if people actually try to talk to me when 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:25.520 I'm doing it. 0:15:25.560 --> 0:15:27.000 That's like my like lock in time. 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:30.000 Okay, thank you for fulfilling every stereotype we old have 0:15:30.160 --> 0:15:30.760 about you. 0:15:30.840 --> 0:15:31.200 Guys. 0:15:31.640 --> 0:15:34.680 Allie, I'm gonna go with something my friends, specifically my 0:15:34.680 --> 0:15:36.320 friends here don't really know about me. 0:15:36.560 --> 0:15:37.320 I have a twin. 0:15:37.200 --> 0:15:45.440 Sister, also an athlete, firefighter, no a dancer, but polar 0:15:45.440 --> 0:15:46.120 opposite to me. 0:15:46.400 --> 0:15:50.320 Okay, cool, Anita, Benita. 0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:52.360 Let's go with an embarrassing habit. 0:15:52.520 --> 0:15:55.120 I think my favorite thing to do before I go 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:57.440 to sleep is shove my face with any food I 0:15:57.480 --> 0:15:58.000 can find. 0:15:58.680 --> 0:16:00.160 Yeah, I just that's definitely. 0:16:01.920 --> 0:16:08.280 Right before bed me Faceah, perfect, all right, Kelsey, mine's 0:16:08.360 --> 0:16:09.760 kind of similar to that. 0:16:11.200 --> 0:16:14.840 My favorite like late night snack I had some of 0:16:14.840 --> 0:16:17.560 it last night is just like demolishing in jar pickles. 0:16:18.440 --> 0:16:21.400 Yeah, I don't know any in combining with talkies. 0:16:22.560 --> 0:16:25.880 Sip the pickle juice, eat the pickle, Eat the talkie, 0:16:25.960 --> 0:16:27.120 back to the pickle juice. 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:30.920 You guys are so good just treating your bodies like shrines. 0:16:32.000 --> 0:16:33.880 Didn't want of y'all play for the Portland pickles for 0:16:33.920 --> 0:16:38.000 a little Yeah I did. Okay, they pickle brained you. 0:16:38.640 --> 0:16:41.120 Now, Okay, I want to get to the emotions of today, 0:16:41.240 --> 0:16:45.320 because you guys are so young that I don't even 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:47.760 know if you did. You all watch a league of 0:16:47.760 --> 0:16:50.440 their own at some point just because you're baseball players. 0:16:50.440 --> 0:16:53.080 But like I grew up and that was such an 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:55.120 emotional movie for me to watch, And then the older 0:16:55.160 --> 0:16:56.680 I got, the more it meant to me to watch 0:16:56.680 --> 0:16:59.320 it and really understand what those women have done. 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:02.320 And now, seventy plus years later, you get to do 0:17:02.440 --> 0:17:03.600 that for the next. 0:17:03.440 --> 0:17:06.600 Generation of people and start something that hopefully will go 0:17:06.680 --> 0:17:08.320 on forever and it will just be normal for us 0:17:08.359 --> 0:17:10.679 to see women playing professional baseball. So, Kelsey, what are 0:17:10.680 --> 0:17:12.880 some of the emotions that today's finally here? 0:17:13.720 --> 0:17:16.040 Honestly, when I pulled up and I saw a whole 0:17:16.080 --> 0:17:18.960 line of people waiting. I told my parents. I was like, 0:17:18.960 --> 0:17:21.720 oh my gosh, I'm getting, like getting it a little 0:17:21.720 --> 0:17:24.680 emotional right now just seeing this, Like see people show 0:17:24.760 --> 0:17:26.440 up not just for the hype of it, but like 0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:29.240 show up because they really believe in something and they 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:31.760 see the future of it and they see the potential 0:17:31.800 --> 0:17:34.679 that it has and they're excited. And so that was 0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:37.720 definitely a piece of emotion that I had. And I 0:17:37.760 --> 0:17:39.959 was telling my dad too in the car. I was like, 0:17:40.160 --> 0:17:42.560 this doesn't feel real, Like this doesn't he goes, I know, 0:17:42.640 --> 0:17:44.919 it just feels so surreal, like it's just like it 0:17:44.960 --> 0:17:47.800 doesn't feel like this is actually happening right now, because 0:17:47.840 --> 0:17:50.200 like we never thought that this would actually happen, while 0:17:50.280 --> 0:17:53.680 at least I'm lucky enough to still be playing. So yeah, 0:17:53.720 --> 0:17:56.760 definitely a lot of emotions going on. Super excited for it. 0:17:57.640 --> 0:18:00.000 Tanita, Benita, you brought up the movie, and I think 0:18:00.200 --> 0:18:02.920 watching that as a young kid, it gives you a 0:18:02.920 --> 0:18:05.720 little bit of hope because as a girl playing baseball, 0:18:05.720 --> 0:18:05.919 like you. 0:18:05.920 --> 0:18:08.920 Don't see other women playing baseball at such a young. 0:18:08.760 --> 0:18:11.960 Age, So like that movie definitely gave us hope of like, hey, 0:18:12.000 --> 0:18:13.760 maybe that could be me one day, Like you just 0:18:13.800 --> 0:18:15.560 never know where this journey's gonna take you, but it 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:18.040 just gives you that little bit of extra push. And 0:18:18.160 --> 0:18:19.800 like sitting here today in front of all of you 0:18:19.840 --> 0:18:22.480 guys that showed up for us and all the fans outside, 0:18:22.680 --> 0:18:25.000 like Kelsey said, it's surreal, Like it doesn't. I don't 0:18:25.000 --> 0:18:27.080 think it's hit any of us yet until we're on 0:18:27.119 --> 0:18:29.080 the line ready to play the game. But I'm just 0:18:29.080 --> 0:18:32.520 super grateful excited to continue to impact and inspire and 0:18:32.560 --> 0:18:34.800 create those opportunities for little girls that want to follow 0:18:34.840 --> 0:18:35.640 their dreams as well. 0:18:36.520 --> 0:18:37.240 What about you, Ali? 0:18:37.640 --> 0:18:40.679 I relate to Kelsey's answer a lot similar feelings. When 0:18:40.720 --> 0:18:43.440 I pulled into the parking lot and saw the lineup 0:18:43.520 --> 0:18:46.080 already starting, I was also talking to my parents at 0:18:46.080 --> 0:18:48.439 the time, and I was like, Wow, I can't believe 0:18:48.600 --> 0:18:50.439 so many people are showing up for something that I 0:18:50.520 --> 0:18:52.560 was told so many times would never happen for me 0:18:52.720 --> 0:18:56.120 in my career my life. So again, like super grateful 0:18:56.359 --> 0:18:58.359 to be seeing this happen during my career. It was 0:18:58.400 --> 0:19:00.960 something that I knew it happened in my lifetime, but 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:03.200 I wasn't sure what happened in my career, So a 0:19:03.280 --> 0:19:05.080 lot of emotions surrounding that. I don't think it's set 0:19:05.080 --> 0:19:06.560 in yet. I think it's gonna set in when we 0:19:06.560 --> 0:19:09.679 see those stands packed and people actually on the field. 0:19:09.720 --> 0:19:12.720 But super grateful to be here and be paving this 0:19:12.800 --> 0:19:14.280 pathway for other girls and. 0:19:14.240 --> 0:19:16.760 You're representing another country to I think there's eleven countries 0:19:16.800 --> 0:19:17.600 representing the league. 0:19:17.640 --> 0:19:20.000 Is that right? So you got all of Canada on 0:19:20.000 --> 0:19:22.920 your back too, which is pretty cool. No pressure on Nay, 0:19:22.960 --> 0:19:23.480 what about you? 0:19:23.640 --> 0:19:26.119 Yeah, I mean basically everything that they've said. I've been 0:19:26.160 --> 0:19:28.560 trying to just like keep myself calm throughout the day. 0:19:28.720 --> 0:19:31.040