Stompers Fall Out Of First In 5-4 Loss To Pacifics

Daniel Baptista found his swing in Sonoma's 5-4 loss to San Rafael Thursday. Baptista finished 3 for 3 with a homer and three RBIs.

Jamers Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

Sonoma was in a good position headed into the bottom of eighth. Sonoma had tied the game thanks to a two out rally in the seventh, and had Taylor Thurber on the mound. Sonoma needed a win to stay in first place in the Pacific Association, a place that Sonoma has been for the majority of the season. Thurber had been one of the strongest arms out of the pen this season. But three straight singles by San Rafael with two outs in the eighth ended up being the difference.

Sonoma did well to fight back in this game after falling behind 4-2, but critical errors were also a big issue for the Stompers. Sonoma made two errors in the game, with the most costly error was the error made in the fourth to lead off the inning. San Rafael ended up scoring two in that inning off of Sean Conroy. In the series, Sonoma committed eight errors as a team in all, meaning the defense will have to find a way to tighten up to find more success against the Pacifcs. Defense mistakes were huge in the series, which led to Thursday’s 5-4 loss.

Michael Ormseth was dominant at times for San Rafael in his 6 1/3 innings to give San Rafael two straight good starts in the series. He allowed five hits while striking out 11 in the start. He allowed four runs, but none were earned.

Baptista works as hard as anyone in the batting cages, and on the field during batting practice. He has struggled to find his swing so far, but the hard work finally paid off on a breakout night for the first baseman. Baptista was 3 for 3, with the highlight 2-run homer into one of the deepest parks of the ballpark in right center to give Sonoma a 2-1 lead.

Sonoma's late rally in the seventh to tie the game featured a near grand slam from Baptista, but the slugger had to settle for a sacrifice fly.

Sean Conroy ran into some bad luck in his five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) while allowing seven baserunners with two strikeouts.

With the loss, Sonoma (14-12) fell out first place as the Pacifics (15-11) took a one game lead in the standings. The good news for Sonoma is that they are headed home after a grueling season-long nine game road trip, and they will have another shot at the Pacifics. San Rafael will begin a three game series at People’s Home Equity Ballpark on Friday. They will also play one seven-inning game Sunday at Albert Park to make up a game that was cancelled due to a light malfunction. This weekend will probably be the deciding factor when looking at who will win the first half in the Pacific Association. 

Friday night will be a historic occasion at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field as two female players will be in action for Sonoma. 17-year-old Kelsie Whitmore will start in the outfield, and 25-year-old Stacy Piagno will start on the hill in the game against the Pacifics. It will be a truly special night at the ballpark, as the Stompers will break another barrier in the baseball world. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Tickets for tomorrow’s historic occasion are still available on StompersBaseball.com. Fan merchandise, and tickets are also available at The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. For more information, contact the Stompers at info@stompersbaseball.com. 

Box Score

Women To Play Pro Baseball For Sonoma Club

Kelsie Whitmore and Stacy Pigano will make their debuts with the Stompers on Friday night in a historic first for professional baseball.

JP Raineri/Rob Furtrell

Originally Published: KPIX 5 - CBS

The Sonoma Stompers will become the first co-ed independent Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Club team when two women are in the starting lineup Friday.

Outfielder/pitcher Kelsie Whitmore, 17, from Temecula, and pitcher/infielder Stacy Piagno, 25, of St. Augustine, Florida will take the field at 6 p.m. against the San Rafael Pacifics at Peoples Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field near the Plaza in Sonoma.

Tickets for the historic game and others are on sale at StompersBaseball.com. The team is 14-10 so far this season.

It will be only the third time since the 1950s that women play on a professional baseball team in the U.S. Southern California native Ila Borders pitched for minor league clubs between 1997 and 2000. Pitcher Eri Yoshida played minor league ball for the Chico Outlaws in 2010 and has also played professionally in Japan.

Before that, Toni Stone, Mamie “Peanut” Johnson and Constance Morgan played alongside men in the Negro Leagues in the 1950s.

Whitmore recently graduated from Temecula Valley High School and will attend Cal State Fullerton on a softball scholarship next season.

Piagno threw a no-hitter for the United States team that captured a gold medal in the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto, Canada and played at the University of Tampa.

In 2015, the Stompers made news when pitcher Sean Conroy became the first openly gay player to play at the professional level.

Former Major League pitcher with the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos Bill “Spaceman” Lee became the oldest player to win a professional baseball game as a Sonoma Stomper.

Two players from the Pacific Association were signed to Major League teams. Jayce Ray, of Sonoma, was signed by the Boston Red Sox in 2015 and Santos Saldivar also of Sonoma, was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers before the 2016 season.

The Stompers’ primary sponsor, Francis Ford Coppola’s Virginia Dare Winery in Geyserville is partnering team over the next three years.

In a news release, Coppola said he always wondered why there was no co-ed team in Major League baseball where weight and strength come less into play.

“So when my winery became involved with the Stompers, I had the opportunity to turn this thought into a reality and recruit these amazing women capable of playing alongside men,” Coppola said in a news release about Friday’s historic game.

Theo Fightmaster, Vice President and General Manager of the Stompers said, “We hope this sends a message to the rest of the baseball world that there is room for women and girls in this game – from Little League to the Major Leagues,” Fightmaster said.

A Minor League Baseball Team Signed Two Women In A Monumental Sports Move

Arnold Field will have two female baseball players play on it Friday night when the Stompers have Kelsie Whitmore and Stacy Piagno start for the team at People's Home Equity Ballpark.

Ben Lindbergh/Sonoma Stomper, FiveThirthyEight

Originally Published: The Frisky

Karen Fratti, Columnist

So much for softball. In a historic move for women’s sports, two women were signed to a minor league baseball team in California. The Sonoma Stompers of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs signed Kelsie Whitmore, a 17-year-old pitcher and outfielder, and Stacy Piagno a 25-year-old pitcher and infielder, who will be added to the roster starting in July. There is a difference between softball and hardball, and both of these women have always been involved with the latter — Whitmore graduated from the California Baseball Academy and Piagno has a gold medal from playing with the U.S. women’s national baseball team at the 2015 Pan American Games. This is a really big deal for anyone who’s ever wanted to play with the boys.

And it’s all because of Francis Ford Coppola. His Sonoma-based winery sponsors the Stompers and he used his leverage to help recruit women as well as men for the independent baseball team. He said in a press release, “When watching Major League Baseball, I always wondered why there couldn’t be a co-ed team. It’s the one major sport in which weight and strength come less into play.” Coppola added, “When my Sonoma winery became involved with the Stompers, I had the opportunity to turn this thought into a reality and recruit these amazing women capable of playing alongside men.”

The only other woman who plays baseball on the pro-level is a French woman named Melissa Mayeux, who was added to the MLB international registration list, which means she can be recruited and signed by the professional baseball league. Last year, Mayeux told SB Nation that she prefers baseball to softball and just likes being on the field. “I have always liked and found it absolutely normal to play with and against boys,” she said. “On the field, I’m no longer Melissa Mayeux: I become a baseball player like anyone else. Baseball runs in my veins.”

Theo Fightmaster, the general manager for The Stompers, told MLB.com that putting Whitmore and Piagno on the roster for a big game tomorrow isn’t just a stunt. He wants them to play and see what they know. “Let’s give women a chance to be part of a team, let’s give women a chance to play against men,” he said. “What will they learn? What have they not been coached because they haven’t had the same coaching as boys?”

Fightmaster is kind of all about equal rights. Last year at the beginning of Pride, he started Sean Conroy, the first openly gay pro baseball player on the mound.

It’s good news that women (and gay men) have a place in America’s favorite past time. There’s no crying in baseball, but maybe Whitmore and Piagno will make a few men shed some tears.

Bay Area's Female Baseball Players Swinging For The Fences

Kelsie Whitmore became the first of two female players to sign their contracts with the Stompers on Wednesday, and was across the field from female baseball pioneer Justin Siegal on Wednesday night.

Tim Livingston/Sonoma Stompers

Originally Published: KTVU 2 - FOX

This is a history-making week for the Bay Area's professional baseball organizations as two female players debut and another woman takes a managerial stint. 
 
The Pacific Baseball Association is made up of four teams in San Rafael, Sonoma, Vallejo and Pittsburg. 
 
"I would always want girls to follow what I'm doing, because if they love it, why not?" said Kelsie Whitmore, 17, who played high school baseball in Temecula. 
 
Now, she's playing for the Sonoma Stompers until she starts college in the fall.  
 
"I never expected to get a call like this, so it's very exciting," she said.
 
Kelsie suited up for Wednesday night's game against the San Rafael Pacifics, but won't take the field until the team's Friday night home game.  
 
Helming the Pacifics is Justine Siegal, who has thrown batting practice to a half dozen Major League squads and is taking over as San Rafael's skipper for two games. 
 
"I've been training to be a coach since I was 16," said Siegal, who is now 41 years old.  "And this is a wonderful team, very professional."  
 
The women greeted each other pre-game with a hug. They are among a select few females in the sport: one a trailblazer, the other and up-and-comer. 
 
Kelsey never detoured to softball as most girls do. 
 
As the only girl playing among guys, she weathered stares and snickers over the years. 
 
"The pressure and being looked at that way can be intimidating," she admitted. 
 
But she's always let hard work and performance speak for her. Her new Sonoma teammates were quickly won over.    
 
"There were a few jokes and some eye-rolling when I told them she was coming," Stompers General Manager Theo Fightmaster said. "But once she got here they realized this is a ball player."     
 
Kelsey will take the field Friday alongside a second new female player: Stacy Piagno, 25, who is also a member of the women's national team that won gold at the 2015 Pan Am Games.   
 
The team message? Baseball can be inclusive without losing its zing.    
 
"Let's find the best woman baseball players in this country and then give them the opportunity," said Fightmaster, "and of the five or six girls that we scouted, Kelsey and Stacy are the cream of the crop." 
 
Over her athletic career, Justine Siegal has learned how important visibility is. 
 
"It's hard to show what you can do when nobody gives you the opportunity, " she said.    
 
Siegal is a baseball veteran with a PhD in sports psychology. She said she would relish the opportunity to join a coaching roster in the MLB.
 
But just like young players steered into softball, she said some barriers are hard to overcome.   
 
"First, there's that tradition where people don't think about it (and) don't ask 'why aren't girls playing baseball?'" Siegal said, "and then second, you have to provide that opportunity." 
 
Siegal started a non-profit organization 20 years ago called Baseball For All, which encourages more girls in the sport.  
 
She'll host a tournament in San Francisco from July 23-28 in conjunction with the city's recreation and parks department. She is encouraging interested girls to sign up.   

Meet The First Co-Ed Baseball Team In Over 60 Years

Kelsie Whitmore and Stacy Piagno are making history with the Sonoma Stompers, who have signed the two USA Women's National team members to contracts. They will start for Sonoma July 1st.

JP Raineri/Rob Furtrell

Originally Published: The Huffington Post

Thomas Lipe, Sports Department Intern

The Sonoma Stompers, a baseball team in the independent Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, has just done something not seen in pro baseball since the 1950s: They have signed two female players.

The Stompers announced on Tuesday that they signed 17-year-old outfielder and pitcher Kelsie Whitmore and 25-year-old pitcher Stacy Piagno. Whitmore and Piagno, who respectively graduated from Temecula Valley High School and the University of Tampa, will also be teammates on Team USA at the upcoming Women’s Baseball World Cup in Japan.

In its press release, the team announced it would become the first co-ed professional baseball team since Toni Stone, Mamie Johnson and Constance Morgan joined the Negro American League‘s Indianapolis Clowns in the 1950s. 

“We hope this sends a message to the rest of the baseball world that there is room for women and girls in this game — from Little League to the Major Leagues,” Stompers GM Theo Fightmaster said in a release.

The move by the Stompers comes just after the one-year anniversary of France’s 16-year-old Melissa Mayeux becoming the first woman on the MLB’s international registration list. Whitmore and Piagno will be in uniform for the first time on Friday, July 1.

Sonoma Stompers Make History By Signing Two Women To Professional Baseball Team

Arnold Field will be the site for a historic evening on Friday when the Sonoma Stompers start two female players at People's Home Equity Ballpark.

Ben Lindbergh/Sonoma Stompers, FiveThirtyEight

Originally Published: The Comeback

Harry Lyles, Jr., Contributor

For just the third time since the 1950s, a United States professional baseball team will have women on its roster. The Sonoma Stompers of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs have signed Kelsie Whitmore and Stacy Piagno, who will both make their debuts on July 1 when the team faces off against the San Rafael Pacifics.

This isn’t the first time the Stompers are making the news for the signing of a player. Last year, the Stompers made news when pitcher Sean Conroy became the first openly gay player to play at the professional ranks.

Theo Fightmaster, GM of the Stompers, told the Sonoma Index-Tribune that there should be more opportunities for women in sports:

“We hope this sends a message to the rest of the baseball world that there is room for women and girls in this game — from Little League to the Major Leagues,” he said.

The pair will be playing for Team USA in the Women’s Baseball World Cup in South Korea. Whitmore is attending Cal State Fullerton next season on a softball scholarship, and Piagno played softball at the University of Tampa.

It’s great to see women getting a fair shake in sports, and these two are certainly helping pave the way for future women.

Independent Baseball Team Makes History Signing Two Women To Roster

Kelsie Whitmore and Stacy Piagno will join the Sonoma Stompers and start for them on Friday, July 1st.

JP Raineri/Rob Furtrell

Originally Published: CBSSports.com

Matt Snyder, CBS Sports Writer

The Sonoma Stompers of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs will make history by adding two women players to their roster beginning on July 1, per the team's official website.

The players: Kelsie Whitmore, 17, a pitcher/outfielder from Temecula, Calif. and Stacy Piagno, 25, a pitcher/infielder from St. Augustine, Fla.

The sponsor of the Stompers? "Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola's Virginia Dare Winery.

Coppola released the following statement, via pressdemocrat.com:

"In an effort to promote the recruitment, development and advancement of women in baseball," an announcement from the director's company said, the team began " ... searching for the best women baseball players in the United States to come and join the team."

"My family would play co-ed baseball games and inevitably the star player would always be an aunt who could run and hit and that made the games so much more fun.
"When watching major league baseball, I always wondered why there couldn't be a co-ed team. It's the one major sport in which weight and strength come less into play. So when my Sonoma (County) winery became involved with the Stompers, I had the opportunity to turn this thought into a reality and recruit these amazing women capable of playing alongside men."

Whitmore graduated from the California Baseball Academy and has a softball scholarship at Cal State Fullerton. Piagno won a gold medal in the 2015 Pan Am Games with the U.S. women's baseball team -- yes, baseball -- and threw a no-hitter in the event.

Both women are also on Team USA for the Women's Baseball World Cup, which takes place in South Korea this year, beginning in September (via newyorkdailynews.com).
The Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs is an independent league and has no affiliation with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball.

Pro Baseball Team Makes History With Signing Of Two Players

Kelsie Whitmore will be one of two female players to start for the Sonoma Stompers on Friday, along with USA Women's National teammate Stacy Piagno.

USA Today Photo Services

Originally Published: USA Today Sports

Alysha Tsuji, For The Win

The Sonoma Stompers, a team in the independent Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, are making history this week. On Friday, two women  will be signed to their roster and, per the press release, will start in the team’s game vs. the San Rafael Pacifics.

Kelsie Whitmore, 17, and Stacy Piagno, 25, are the two that the Stompers scouted. Both play for Team USA women’s baseball team, and both intend to play in the Women’s Baseball World Cup in South Korea in September.

As noted by the Stompers, this “will be the first co-ed professional baseball team since the 1950s when Toni Stone, Mamie ‘Peanu’ Johnson and Constance Morgan achieved the distinction of becoming the first women to play alongside men in the Negro Leagues.”

Whitmore (outfielder/pitcher) just graduated from Temecula Valley High School and will play softball for Cal State Fullerton next season. Piagno (pitcher) played softball for the University of Tampa and graduated in 2013.

The two were on the same team when the U.S. won gold in the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto in which Piagno threw a no-hitter.

The Stompers’ GM, Theo Fightmaster said in the press release:

“While many believe it’s only a matter of time before we see a woman playing in the MLB, I’ve learned over the past several months that there are many steps in between where we are and where we should be in terms of women in this sport. We hope this sends a message to the rest of the baseball world that there is room for women and girls in this game – from Little League to the Major Leagues.”

This announcement comes almost exactly one year after 16-year-old Melissa Mayeux became the first female player to make MLB’s international eligibility list.

Independent League Club To Sign And Start Two Female Players

Kelsie Whitmore is one of two women that have signed with the Sonoma Stompers.

Tim Livingston/Sonoma Stompers

Originally Published: Yahoo! Sports

Chris Cwik, Big League Stew

For the first time in over 50 years, a professional baseball team will have multiple women in its starting lineup. The Sonoma Stompers, an independent league team in the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, will sign and start two women prior to Friday’s game.

The Stompers put out a release Tuesday announcing the club had worked with Francis Ford Coppola’s Virginia Dare Winery “in an effort to promote the recruitment, development and advancement of women in baseball.”

On Wednesday, the team made it official, signing 17-year-old outfielder/pitcher Kelsie Whitmore. The team is also signing 25-year-old pitcher/infielder Stacy Piagno. Both players will be in the starting lineup when the team takes the field Friday against the San Rafael Pacifics.

Whitmore recently graduated from Temecula Valley High School, and has a softball scholarship to Cal State Fullerton next year. Piagno played softball at the University of Tampa, but more recently helped the United States national baseball team capture the gold medal in the 2015 Pan Am Games. During the tournament, Piagno threw a no-hitter against Puerto Rico.

Both players will play for Team USA in the 2016 Women’s Baseball World Cup, according to the Stompers.

With the signing, the Stompers will become the first baseman team since the 1950s to have multiple women on a team. Toni Stone, Mamie “Peanut” Johnson and Constance Morgan all played beside men in the Negro Leagues, according to the release.

Breaking new ground is familiar for the Stompers. Last season, Stompers pitcher Sean Conroy became the first openly gay active baseball player. Conroy came out just before the team celebrated Pride Night, started that game and tossed a complete-game shutout.

While it’s not common, it is possible for players in the Pacific League to get signed by major-league clubs. In May, the Milwaukee Brewers signed pitcher Santos Saldivar. Saldivar pitched for the Stompers during the 2015 and was featured in the book “The Only Rule is it Has to Work,” written by Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller.

Whether or not this opportunity leads to the first woman playing in the majors remains to be seen. But the signings of Whitmore and Piagno seem like a significant step as far as that’s concerned. No matter what happens, Friday should be a historic day for baseball.

In Historic Move, Two Female Players Signed By Minor League Baseball Team

Team USA Members Kelsie Whitmore and Stacy Piagno join the Sonoma Stompers on Friday, creating the first true co-ed baseball team in over 60 years.

JP Raineri/Rob Futrell

Originally Published: The Washington Post

Des Bieler, Columnist

According to the Sonoma Stompers, there hasn’t been a co-ed professional baseball team since three women played in the 1950’s Negro Leagues. The northern California-based independent squad recently made note of this when announcing that it would become the first team since then to include female players in its lineup.

When the Stompers take the field on Friday, Kelsie Whitmore, a 17-year-old outfielder/pitcher, and Stacy Piagno, a 25-year-old pitcher/infielder, will be in their starting lineup. Whitmore will be in left field and Piagno will take the mound.

According to the Stompers’ general manager, this is no publicity stunt. The two women will remain with the team indefinitely, and, immediate starts aside, will have to earn their playing time.

“This isn’t a one-day event,” Sonoma GM Theo Fightmaster told MLB.com. “That’s been done a dozen times. Let’s give women a chance to be part of a team, let’s give women a chance to play against men. What will they learn? What have they not been coached because they haven’t had the same coaching as boys? I remember being really disappointed with my sister’s coaches because they coached the girls a lot different than how I was coached.”

“They’re going to play however much they earn,” Fightmaster added. “They are not going to be in the starting lineup every night so we can sell more tickets. It’s a big game on July 1 and they’ll both be in the lineup, and after that we’ll see what their performance dictates.”

If this sounds like it has the makings of a Hollywood movie, then it might not be completely surprising that the impetus for the signings came from a legendary director: Francis Ford Coppola. His winery, Virginia Dare, entered into a partnership with the nearby team, and Coppola pitched the idea to Fightmaster.

“My family would play co-ed baseball games and inevitably the star player would always be an aunt who could run and hit and that made the games so much more fun,” Coppola said in a statement. “When watching Major League Baseball, I always wondered why there couldn’t be a co-ed team. It’s the one major sport in which weight and strength come less into play. So when my Sonoma winery became involved with the Stompers, I had the opportunity to turn this thought into a reality and recruit these amazing women capable of playing alongside men.”

“When Francis tells you to try, you try,” Fightmaster told MLB.com.

Both Whitmore and Piagno are set to play for Team USA this fall in the Womens’ Baseball World Cup, which will be held in South Korea. Whitmore, who recently graduated from high school, will also attend Cal State Fullerton on a softball scholarship. Piagno, who no-hit Puerto Rico at the 2015 Pan Am Games, was a college softball player at the University of Tampa.

Even though the Stompers came into existence in 2014, this is not the first time they have made history. That year, former MLB star Bill Lee started a game for Sonoma and became, at age 67, the oldest person to get a professional win.

In 2015, Stompers pitcher Sean Conroy became the first openly gay professional baseball player. He made his first start on the team’s Pride Night, throwing a complete game shutout as his teammates wore rainbow-striped socks.

“While many believe it’s only a matter of time before we see a woman playing in the MLB, I’ve learned over the past several months that there are many steps in between where we are and where we should be in terms of women in this sport,” Fightmaster said in a statement. “We hope this sends a message to the rest of the baseball world that there is room for women and girls in this game – from Little League to the Major Leagues.”