LA is headed to the inaugural 2026 WPBL Championship. The Queens outlasted Denae Benites and the New York Heights 15-11 in Monday's winner-take-all Game 3 behind captain Ashton Lansdell's offensive onslaught.
Both captains set the tone early. Lansdell launched a three-run homer and Benites answered with a two-run shot in the first inning.
However, LA broke the game open in the third. Caitlin Eynon led off with a solo home run to center, Isabella Villareal doubled home a run, and Ayuri Shimano crushed the first postseason grand slam in league history to mount a seven-run cushion.
New York Heights Storm Back to Tie WPBL Playoff Game 3
Of course, New York refused to fold. The Heights chipped away in the third and fourth, then erupted for five runs in the fifth, capped by Kylee Lahners's game-tying three-run homer.
With the score level, Queens manager Eric Young turned to starter Ayami Sato out of the bullpen. She retired the side in order to steady LA.
LA Queens Pull Away in WPBL Semifinal Clincher
The Queens pushed across four unearned runs in the sixth, aided by four walks and two hit batters. Shimano singled to finish 5-for-5 — just one triple shy of the cycle.
Sato closed the door in the seventh. She struck out Benites swinging to end the game and send Los Angeles through. Lansdell drove in four runs to pace the Queens, capping a hard-fought battle that echoed the old New York-LA MLB rivalry dating back decades.
WPBL Championship 2026: Where to Watch Queens vs Firebells
The victory sets up a final showdown with San Francisco, after the Firebells swept their semifinal series against the Boston Hunters.
The best-of-five 2026 WPBL Championship series kicks off Wednesday at 7 PM ET, live on ESPN+.
