Olivia Pichardo Becomes First Woman To Play In Division I Baseball Game

Olivia Pichardo on Friday became the first woman to appear in a Division I baseball game.

She made her debut as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of Brown’s 10-1 loss to Bryant (6-7). Facing M.T. Morrissey, she grounded out to first base. The Bears (1-10) were making their home opener Friday.

Pichardo said it was a special moment.

“It was a lot of fun and I’m glad that I was able to get something out of my first at-bat,” she said. “There probably aren’t going to be as much nerves for the rest of my at-bats.”

Pichardo last summer played for USA Baseball’s women’s national team and then made history this fall when she made the Bears roster as a walk-on, becoming the first woman to make a Division I baseball roster.

Now, she’s taken the next step in making her on-field debut.

“I hope Olivia’s accomplishments show people that if someone is talented enough to be given an opportunity, they should be judged solely on their baseball abilities,” coach Grant Achilles said. “No other factors should play into that. Olivia is an example of that.”