Female baseball players to start for men's independent team

Two women will make their debut in professional baseball when they take the field for the independent league Sonoma (California) Stompers on Friday night.

Kelsie Whitmore, 17, and Stacy Piagno, 25, signed with the Pacific Association's Stompers earlier this week after having played baseball previously as members of Team USA.

Whitmore is scheduled to start in left field, while Piagno will start on the mound when Sonoma hosts San Rafael. The two will also play in the Women's Baseball World Cup in South Korea in September.