More than 50 years ago, a movement began thanks to a young girl from New Jersey named Maria Pepe, leading to a decision that allowed Girls with Game® across the country the opportunity to compete in the Little League® program. Today, young girls in communities all around the world now have the chance to step up to the plate, inspiring the next generation of young baseball players to show their confidence on and off the field.
For the third-straight year, nearly 100 young ladies supported by an all-female volunteer coaching and umpiring crews, traveled to Williamsport for a chance to play in the 2026 Maria Pepe Little League Baseball Legacy Series. Through new friendships, inspirational stories, and the heart showcased on the field, another year of fostering a community of fun and inclusion was completed.
With players coming to the birthplace of Little League from across the United States as well as three international countries, fun-filled moments throughout the Little League Baseball World Series complex and the opportunity to meet the woman that fought for the girls’ baseball community began the wonderful weekend. From the players to Maria herself, it was evident in the smiling faces everywhere that everyone was in for a weekend filled of memories and moments.
Beginning with Fun
From the moment the girls checked in at registration, the experience of the players was put first. Thanks to the support of Little League’s Official Sponsors, all the participants were provided with their own adidas uniforms and cleats, DICK’S Sporting Goods sinch bags, Gatorade squeeze bottles, New Era Caps, and Easton equipment for the teams to use. Along with all the exciting items they received, one of the unique parts of the Maria Pepe Little League Baseball Legacy Series is that all the players, coaches, and umpires get to stay in Dr. Creighton J. Hale International Grove, the same home to the LLBWS participants, for the entire weekend.
MLB Pitch, Hit & Run Event
Before kicking off the weekend’s games on the field, all of the participants got a chance to compete in the MLB Pitch, Hit & Run event on Volunteer Stadium, marking the first all-girls baseball competition in the event’s 50-year history as part of MLB Play Ball Weekend. The goal of the event is to test the athlete’s skills for running, pitching towards a stationary target, and hitting off a tee into the field of play but the memories and friendships made during the event would set the tone for the entirety of the weekend. While every player showcased their skills, the high scores for each category from the weekend were:
Pitching (Four-Way Tie): 200 Points
- Amelia Piekanski (Green)
- Tegan Smith (Green)
- Alexys Motley (Red)
- Morgan Beasley (Navy Blue)
Running: 520 Points
- Azalea Cruz (Pink)
Hitting: 475 Points
- Juliana Carroll-Medeiros (Green)
Overall: 1,070 Points (200 Pitching, 400 Hitting, 470 Running)
- Ariana Rodriguez (Pink)*
*With her victory, Ariana Rodriguez advances to a ‘Team Championship,’ which are larger events hosted at MLB stadiums across the country. Team Championship winners put themselves in position to have the opportunity to advance to compete in the Finals at the MLB World Series with an all-expense paid trip for the athlete and one guardian.
Meeting Maria Pepe
After their first dinner together on Friday evening, all the players joined together in the Grove for a conversation with Maria Pepe, the role model and pioneer who the event was named after. During the inspiring conversation with the girls, the Hoboken, New Jersey, native shared more about her personal Little League story that began in the early 1970s. The girls learned how Pepe changed the game forever and absorbed gratitude for opportunities that females had never had access to before. To recognize her lifetime’s worth of achievements, Pepe was enshrined into the Little League Hall of Excellence in 2024.
Fun Team Names and Exciting Game Action
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Over the course of the weekend, each team played three games across Howard J. Lamade and Volunteer Stadiums, but rather than just keeping the name of the color on their jerseys, the girls got to brainstorm together, their own team names on Friday evening:
- Green Beans
- Orange Traffic Cones
- Pink Flames
- Sky Blue Icebreakers
- Cherry Bombs
- Lilac Lightning
- Aqua Orca Sox
- Navy Bombers
Girls with Game, Together
Pepe, along with all of the participants, coaches, and umpires gathered together on Howard J. Lamade Stadium on Sunday morning for a group photo, uniting all of the Girls with Game from the weekend. The girls shared a moment of reflection for the memories that were made and the newly found appreciation for setting the foundation for the next generation of Girls with Game to come.
Thank You, Sponsors
While the true focus was on making sure all the participants had an experience they would never forget, none of it would’ve been possible if it were not for Little League’s Official Sponsors, who supported the event, providing the uniforms, equipment, caps, hydration, and more throughout the weekend.
To learn more about the Little League Girls with Game Initiative, including ways to celebrate at the local level and all of your favorite merchandise options available, visit LittleLeague.org/GirlsWithGame.