Borders was named the starting pitcher for a men's professional game, becoming the first woman in the modern era to start such a contest.
On July 7, 1998, Ila Borders was named the starting pitcher for a men's professional baseball game, becoming, according to multiple sources, the first woman to start a game in men's professional baseball in the modern era.
Being named a starter—rather than entering as a relief pitcher—represented a significant escalation in trust and responsibility from her coaching staff. Starting pitchers are typically expected to set the tone for a game, pitch multiple innings, and manage an entire lineup of opposing hitters over multiple at-bats, a far more demanding assignment than a short relief appearance.
This milestone underscored how far Borders had come since her professional debut just over a year earlier. It also reflected a broader trajectory in her career: she was not simply a novelty act make a token appearance, but was being developed and used as a legitimate pitching option within her team's rotation. Her start added further weight to the case that women could hold meaningful, non-symbolic roles in men's professional baseball.
The date is sometimes conflated in later media summaries with a start on July 9, 1998, but earlier and more detailed sources identify July 7 as the date of this historic first start, which set the stage for her win later that month.