Japan’s Ayami Sato becomes first woman to play in Canadian men’s pro baseball league [Video]

Star female pitcher Ayami Sato made history as the first woman to play in a Canadian men’s professional baseball league on Sunday.

She also had a perfect debut for the Intercounty Baseball League’s Toronto Maple Leafs.

Sato struck out one batter without allowing anyone on base in the first two innings of an eventual 6-5 loss to the Kitchener Panthers.

Fans at Dominico Field in Christie Pits welcomed Sato with loud applause when the public address announcer introduced her in the starting lineup for Toronto’s home opener.

Ayami Sato comes out of the game after two perfect innings of work for the <a href=”https://twitter.com/IBLMapleLeafs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@IBLMapleLeafs</a>. <a href=”https://t.co/r5QG5josVW”>pic.twitter.com/r5QG5josVW</a>

—@IBLInsidePitch

Widely considered the top female pitcher in baseball, the 35-year-old from Japan signed with the Maple Leafs in December to become the IBL’s first female player.

Sato helped Japan win five of its seven consecutive Women’s Baseball World Cup titles (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, …

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