Japan's Ayami Sato becomes first woman to play in Canadian men's pro baseball league

Star female pitcher Ayami Sato made history as the first woman to play in a Canadian men's professional baseball league on Sunday.

Sato struck out one batter without allowing anyone on base in the first two innings of an eventual 6-5 loss to the Kitchener Panthers.

Fans at Dominico Field in Christie Pits welcomed Sato with loud applause when the public address announcer introduced her in the starting lineup for Toronto's home opener.

Ayami Sato comes out of the game after two perfect innings of work for the <a href="https://twitter.com/IBLMapleLeafs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IBLMapleLeafs</a>. <a href="https://t.co/r5QG5josVW">pic.twitter.com/r5QG5josVW</a>

Widely considered the top female pitcher in baseball, the 35-year-old from Japan signed with the Maple Leafs in December to become the IBL's first female player.

She pitched in the Japan Women's Baseball League from 2013 until it suspended operations in 2021, leading the league in strikeouts in three of its last four seasons.

Toronto finished seventh in the IBL last season with a 17-25 record.

WATCH | Japanese women's star Sato brings wealth of experience to IBL's Maple Leafs:

Meet Ayami Sato: The first woman to compete on a men’s pro baseball team in Canada