18-year-old Eri Yoshida makes her professional pitching debut in Canada.

THE CANADIAN PRESS

VICTORIA -- She ambles out to the pitcher's mound just like any other pitcher.

She even adjusts her equipment like the boys.

And for one glorious inning, 18-year-old Eri Yoshida, nicknamed the Knuckle Princess, was one of the boys of summer.

The sidearm knuckleball pitcher from Yokohama, Japan, struck out one in a three-up, three-down first inning as she made her Canadian debut in the 10-team independent Golden League.

She is the youngest player -- and only female -- in the minor pro league.

The pint-sized Yoshida lasted two-and-one-third innings as the Chico Outlaws from northern California lost 12-6 to the Victoria Seals before a record sellout crowd of 4,753 fans.

She stared down the male sluggers in the first inning, but it started to come apart in the second as she lost control of her knuckleball and walked in two runs before Seals second baseman Charlie Strandlund delivered a towering grand slam homer that cleared the Royal Athletic Park scoreboard in left field.

After Strandlund's blast, fans passed a bowl throughout the stadium to make donations to the Seals player.

"It's regrettable, I couldn't do well," said Yoshida, speaking through an interpreter. "I felt I couldn't control the ball very well."

Yoshida, listed at five foot two and 115 pounds, dropped to 0-3 with the loss.

She gave up just one hit but it was the grand slam and she walked seven and hit three batters.

Her appearance was greeted enthusiastically in Victoria, where average attendance for Seals games is about 2,400 people.

Fans cheered for Yoshida when several Seals players, all almost a foot taller and much stronger, took huge cuts at her floating knuckeball and missed.

Shortstop Wilver Perez was Yoshida's only strikeout victim.

After the game, he politely took questions, saying he now has gained experience facing a woman pitcher and a knuckleballer.

During the game, one fan remarked: "The catcher throws the ball back to her harder than she pitches."

Seals fan Rita Porter wished Yoshida well, saying she is breaking down barriers for women.

"She's a role model," said Porter. "She's getting paid to play baseball. Baseball has been a closed shop for the old boys."

Greeted by throngs of female fans after the game, Yoshida signed autographs on ticket stubs.

The Outlaws play in Calgary and Edmonton after wrapping up a three-game series in Victoria on Wednesday.