Baseball player Élodie Ciamarro returned home to Mont-Saint-Hilaire with her first professional season behind her and a baseball from her first career double safely in her bag, L’Oeil Régional reported. Despite skepticism from her circle, the young infielder trusted her instincts and joined the New York Heights for the inaugural campaign of the Women’s Pro Baseball League.
Joining the New York Heights Despite Early Warnings
Before Ciamarro signed on with the New York franchise, people close to her advised against making the jump to the newly formed professional circuit. They argued that the local baseball infrastructure in Quebec was already strong and worth sticking with. Ciamarro acknowledged the quality of the province’s amateur setup, but noted that it lacked the professional designation she was looking for. She described the WPBL as the highest caliber of women’s baseball she has encountered in her career.
Navigating Playing Time and Position Shifts
Ciamarro spent significant time on the bench during her rookie year, appearing in nine of her team’s 15 regular-season games, a reality she anticipated given her youth. Defensively, the coaching staff deployed her at second base rather than her preferred position as a catcher. With a veteran handling catching duties for the Heights, Ciamarro welcomed the playing time at second base. At the plate, she recorded 24 at-bats, collecting 11 hits and driving in three runs. She brought home the ball from her first career double after it stayed in play long enough to escape immediate authentication on the field.
Atmosphere and Playoff Run in Illinois
All four teams in the league played their games at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois, a 5,200-seat venue. Weeknight crowds were quieter, but weekend games drew full houses that occasionally chanted Ciamarro’s name from the stands. Her parents traveled to watch her play, and her brother’s girlfriend picked up following the sport as a result. Although the Heights were eliminated in the first round of the postseason, Ciamarro stayed in Springfield through the finals to support fellow Quebecer Andréanne Leblanc of the San Francisco team, whose squad dropped the decisive championship game 2 to 0.
Winter Training Plans for the Second WPBL Season
Ciamarro’s future with the league remains unconfirmed as she enters the offseason on a single-season contract, but she has already resumed training to prepare for the WPBL’s second year. She has reached out to former coaches to refine her skills over the winter months. While she received positive feedback from her coaches, she expects increased competition for roster spots as a larger pool of players looks to join the circuit in its sophomore season.
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