The Mexican Softball League (LMS - Liga Mexicana de Softbol) enjoyed an historic opening day on Thursday with three very tightly-contested games in Tabasco, Monterrey and Leon. Huge crowds filled the three stadiums, with 13,408 fans attending hosts Sultanes de Monterrey's 1-0 win over Aguilas de Veracruz.
With many international players from Colombia, Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela, including two Olympians, the LMS six teams took the field on Thursday to open the 36-game regular season.
GameTime, the WBSC-owned streaming platform, is broadcasting the LMS to the global market outside of Mexico. For $9.99 US dollars, fans will have access to 30 regular season games and playoffs. Softball enthusiasts must log-in on GameTime and then buy the LMS bundle, available here.
In Tabasco, Diablos de México defeated hosts Olmecas, 3-0. Cuban Yamerki Guevara outdueled her compatriot Anisley Lopez, allowing only one hit in a complete-game outing. Both Guevara and Lopez played for their country at the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group B last year. The inaugural game was broadcasted live by ESPN.
Sultanes de Monterrey topped Aguilas de Veracruz, 1-0, behind a no-hit performance from Yanina Treviño, who pitched for Mexico at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, USA and also in the youth World Cups in 2019 and 2021. The only run of the game was a home run from Yarianna Lopez, a member of the Cuban National Team.
In the third game of the night, played in Leon, Charros de Jalisco earned a 2-1 win over hosts Bravas, behind a great pitching performance by Yeraldine Carrion, who played for Mexico in the U-19 Women's Softball World Cup 2019.
Each team will play 12 series as home team, and 12 on the road. The regular season will finish on 3 March, with the top four in the standings advancing to the semifinals, in a best-of-five series to be played between 5-10 March. The winners of the semifinals will play the Serie de la Reina (Queen's Series), a five-game series from 12-17 March to find the first-ever Mexican Softball League Champion.
You can find the full schedule here.
