Kelsie Whitmore makes Atlantic League debut as pinch runner April 21 sharefacebooktwitterredditlink CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) Kelsie Whitmore pinch-ran for the Staten Island FerryHawks in their season opener Thursday night Albert Johansson Kids Jersey , becoming one of the first women to play in a league connected to Major League Baseball.The 23-year-old Whitmore entered at first base for catcher Norberto Susini with two outs in the ninth inning of a 5-3 lo s to the Charleston Dirty Birds. She was left stranded at second base.A former college softball player at Cal-State Fullerton, Whitmore signed with Staten Island this month, one of several notable moments for women in baseball this season. Last week, San Francisco Giants coach Aly sa Nakken filled in as first base coach, becoming the Whitmore pitched and played in the outfield for the U.S. women's baseball team from 2014-19 and spent parts of two seasons with the Sonoma Stompers of the independent Pacific A sociation Wade Megan Kids Jersey .Atlantic League teams are not big league affiliates, but the circuit is an MLB partner league. It's a step up in quality from the Pacific A sociation for example, Staten Island's starting pitcher Friday was two-time All-Star Julio Teheran, who was in the majors last year.Im grateful for all the opportunities Ive been given, Whitmore said last week. This one, by far, Im really looking forward to, because its next level for me.At least two other women have played in a league with a connection to MLB: Lee Anne Ketcham and Julie Croteau were on the Maui Stingrays in the Hawaiian Winter Baseball League in 1994.Whitmore has been working with Staten Island pitching coach and former big leaguer Nelson Figueroa and is expected to take the mound at some point for the FerryHawks.Playing baseball at the highest level is my goal, she said. "You know, if you ask any other guy that's going to be in the league what his goal is, it's the same thing, to get to the next David Booth Kids Jersey level and play at the highest level I could po sibly play at.Eventually, I want to play in affiliated ball. I want to make this game my career, my living, and just, you know, be a part of it as much as I can.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports in this topic Major League Baseball share World Cup fans find booze at hotels, Qatar's 1 liquor store Qatar's strict rules regarding alcohol have drawn attention as it hosts the World Cup 1 HOUR AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Sterling leaves England World Cup camp after home break-in England forward Raheem Sterling has left his teams World Cup camp in Qatar and returned to the U.K Henrik Zetterberg Jersey . after a break-in at his home 1 HOUR AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ronaldo looks to shine like Mbapp and Me si at World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo has been overshadowed by the brilliance of Lionel Me si and Kylian Mbapp so far at the World Cup 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ottawa hosts Los Angeles after Giroux's 2-goal game The Ottawa Senators host the Los Angeles Kings after Claude Giroux's two-goal game against the San Wade Megan Women Jersey Jose Sharks in the Senators' 5-2 win 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Penguins host the Blue Jackets following Kapanen's hat trick The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Columbus Blue Jackets after Kasperi Kapanen's hat trick against the St. Louis Blues in the Penguins' 6-2 win 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS