Western Australian baseball star Caitlin Eynon has helped the Los Angeles Queens win the first Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) championship in the United States.
The 23-year-old Melville Braves player capped a memorable season as the Queens defeated the San Francisco Firebells 2-0 in the deciding fifth game at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois, on 22 September, claiming the series 3-2.
The WPBL’s first season opened a new professional pathway for women in baseball, bringing together international talent in four teams representing Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Boston. Eynon was one of nine Australians selected in the inaugural draft and now belongs to the league’s first championship-winning team.
Eynon earned Player of the Game honours in the Championship Series opener, helping the Queens recover from a 6-2 deficit to beat San Francisco 7-6. Playing shortstop, she collected three hits from three at-bats, scored a run and drove in two, including the winning run with a sixth-inning sacrifice fly.
It followed a strong regular season in which she batted .395, collecting 15 hits in 38 at-bats across 12 games. Her tally included six doubles, a home run and 10 runs batted in.
She ranked fifth in postseason batting average, hitting .440 across eight games with 11 hits, seven runs scored and five runs batted in. Her playoff highlights included a home run in the deciding semi-final against New York, helping the Queens secure their place in the Championship Series.
The historic championship adds another milestone to a baseball journey that began in Western Australia. Eynon made her Senior Women’s National Championship debut at just 13 and went on to win national gold with WA in 2023. She earned both the Golden Arm and Golden Glove awards at the 2025 Australian Women’s Championship before being named Most Valuable Player in 2026.This year Eynon was also named captain of the Australian Emeralds, leading the national team at the 2026 WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup.
Baseball WA CEO, Lachlan Dale, said Eynon continues to be a role model on and off the field. “Caitlin has given everyone in WA baseball something to be proud of. To win a championship in the WPBL’s first season, and deliver when the pressure was on, is a tremendous achievement,” Dale said.
“Her journey from local club baseball to representing WA, captaining Australia and now winning a professional title shows young female players what is possible. It also underlines why we keep investing in our clubs, coaches and pathways, so more girls can stay in baseball and pursue their ambitions.”
Eynon’s success comes at an exciting time for women’s baseball in Western Australia, with growing opportunities for girls and women to play the game from junior competitions through to the Hester Women’s Elite Series and representative pathways.