The stage is set for the 2026 Women's Professional Baseball League Championship Series.
The Los Angeles Queens and San Francisco Firebells, the league's two West Coast teams, will meet in the final best-of-five round.
Championship Series action kicks off Wednesday at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois. But first, World Baseball Network looks at how the Queens walked away victorious on Monday night.
Los Angeles and New York finished with an identical 8-7 record during the regular season. Perhaps that's what made their semifinal series an incredibly tight matchup that came down to the wire.
The Queens had a commanding 9-2 lead going into the bottom of the third. Shortstop Ayuri Shimano hit the first grand slam in WPBL postseason history in the top half of the frame.
But the Heights stormed back with nine runs in the next three innings to knot the score at 11. Catcher Denae Benites and first baseman Kylee Lahners each went deep for New York. Lahners' three-run shot in the bottom of the fifth helped the Heights complete the miraculous comeback.
After watching their seven-run lead slip away, the Queens rallied for four runs in the seventh with the help of New York's pitching staff. They drew four walks and were hit by a pitch twice in the inning. Shimano added a base hit to complete a 5-for-5 day at the plate with four runs scored.
Considered one of the best female pitchers in the world, Japanese right-hander Ayami Sato threw two scoreless innings for the Queens to finish the job. She struck out Benites swinging for the final out of the day.
WPBL Championship Series Schedule
*If Necessary (All games are played at Robin Roberts Stadium)
Game 1 - Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. EDT
Game 2 - Thursday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. EDT
Game 3 - Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. EDT
Game 4* - Sunday, Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. EDT
Game 5* - Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. EDT
How to Watch
Fans can watch the action on ESPN+, which requires a monthly subscription. You can watch highlights of the games via the WPBL YouTube channel.