Kelsie Whitmore
Kelsie Whitmore | |||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Whitmore (right) with the Staten Island FerryHawks in 2022. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Staten Island FerryHawks – No. 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Pitcher / Outfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
Born: San Diego, California | July 5, 1998|||||||||||||||||||||
Bats: Both Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Kelsie Whitmore (born July 5, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher and outfielder for the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. She was the first woman to appear in the starting lineup in an Atlantic League game. She was a member of the United States women's national baseball team from 2014 to 2019. Whitmore played college softball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans and has also played professionally for the Sonoma Stompers of the Pacific Association and Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Career
As a youth, Whitmore played Little League Baseball and PONY Baseball. She attended Temecula Valley High School in Temecula, California. She played for the school's baseball team, and was the only female on the team. She also played soccer and golf at Temecula Valley.[1][2] Whitmore enrolled at California State University, Fullerton, where she received a scholarship to play college softball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans. She was also allowed to train with the Cal State Fullerton Titans baseball team.[1] Whitmore received a fifth year of eligibility from the National Collegiate Athletic Association due to the cancellation of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2021 season, she batted .395 with a .507 on-base percentage and a .824 slugging percentage. She was named the Big West Conference's softball player of the year.[3][4][5]
While she attended high school, Whitmore joined the United States women's national baseball team.[6] She won the silver medal at the 2014 Women's Baseball World Cup and the gold medal in the 2015 Pan American Games.[1] Whitmore also participated in the 2018 Women's Baseball World Cup, as the United States finished in fourth place.[7] Playing for the national team from 2014 through 2019, she had a 1.35 earned run average as a pitcher.[8]
In 2016, the Sonoma Stompers of the Pacific Association, an independent baseball league, signed Whitmore and Stacy Piagno; they became the first female teammates in professional baseball since the 1950s when women played in the Negro Leagues.[9][10] She recorded her first professional hit on July 20.[11] She also played for Sonoma in the 2017 season. Whitmore had two hits in 26 at bats. She also pitched three innings for Sonoma.[12] Whitmore pitched to Anna Kimbrell during a game in 2016, forming the first all-female battery in a professional baseball league game since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.[13][14]
In October 2021, Whitmore joined the Portland Pickles of the West Coast League, a collegiate summer baseball league, when they played a two-game series against the Venados de Mazatlán of the Mexican Pacific League. In the second game, Whitmore pitched five innings without allowing a run.[15]
On April 8, 2022, Whitmore signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[16] She debuted in the Atlantic League as a pinch runner on April 22[17] and became the first woman to start an Atlantic League game on May 1, playing as a left fielder.[12] On May 4, Whitmore became the first woman to pitch in an Atlantic League game when she made her first pitching appearance for Staten Island; entering the game with the bases loaded and two outs, she retired Ryan Jackson, a former major leaguer, on a fly out to end the inning.[18] For the 2022 season, Whitmore batted .026 (a single in 39 at-bats), while on the mound allowed 14 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings for a 12.19 ERA. She became a free agent after the season. On April 18, 2023, Whitmore re-signed with Staten Island for the 2023 season.[19]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "CSF softball recruit Kelsie Whitmore eyes a baseball career". Orange County Register. July 20, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ Pope, Dennis (February 5, 2016). "GIRLS SOCCER: Thanks to her great hands, Kelsie Whitmore quickly becomes a standout goalkeeper". Press Enterprise. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ Tracy, Jeff (April 11, 2022). "Kelsie Whitmore has made it higher in pro baseball than any woman in over 20 years". Axios. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ Megdal, Howard (April 8, 2022). "Kelsie Whitmore signs to play in Atlantic League: How it happened". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ Ashame, Betelhem (May 19, 2022). "Her baseball journey has just begun. Stay tuned". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ "ZINK: Gortarez, Whitmore making an impact for U.S. baseball". Press Enterprise. March 10, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ "Women's Baseball World Cup: USA falls to Canada; Japan wins title". Floridatoday.com. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ "Kelsie Whitmore breaks new ground in FerryHawks' starting lineup". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ "2 Women Play For Sonoma Stompers Baseball Team : The Two-Way". NPR. October 31, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ Baer, Bill (June 29, 2016). "Kelsie Whitmore signs with the Sonoma Stompers, an independent league team". Mlb.nbcsports.com. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ "Kelsie Whitmore makes history as she collects her first hit with the Sonoma Stompers". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ a b "Kelsie Whitmore becomes first woman to start game in Atlantic League of Professional Baseball". CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ "After three weeks, the female players on the Sonoma Stompers are still making history". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ "Kelsie Whitmore becomes first woman to start Atlantic League game". USA Today. April 24, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ "First female player joins Portland Pickles baseball team". koin.com. October 20, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ "'I'm ready': Kelsie Whitmore to play for FerryHawks". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ Farlow, Rick. "Kelsie Whitmore makes baseball history for Staten Island FerryHawks". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ Randhawa, Manny (May 4, 2022). "Kelsie Whitmore makes history pitching for FerryHawks". MLB.com. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ @FerryHawks (April 18, 2023). "The FerryHawks are proud to announce the return of Kelsie Whitmore! Last year, Kelsie made history right here on Staten Island as the first woman to play in a professional MLB affiliated league. Welcome back to #HawkCity Kelsie!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 18, 2023 – via Twitter.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Kelsie Whitmore on Team USA
- New York Times June 2022 profile article
- American female baseball players
- Baseball catchers
- 1998 births
- Living people
- Baseball players at the 2015 Pan American Games
- Sonoma Stompers players
- Pan American Games medalists in baseball
- Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States
- Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games
- 21st-century American women
- Staten Island FerryHawks players
- Cal State Fullerton Titans softball players
- Baseball players from San Diego
- American baseball players of Filipino descent