Hitting a home run is one of the most thrilling moments in baseball—a feat that combines power, precision, and the right conditions to send the ball soaring over the fence. In Women's Division 1, however, clearing the outfield fence has historically been a rare achievement. But in recent years, players have started breaking through the power barrier, proving that the long ball is not just a dream in the women’s game.

The game ball from Jess Maslin’s home run at Glenelg

The First Over-the-Fence Shots

The first recorded home run in Women’s Division 1 came from Elly Tucker, who launched one over the fence on the back diamond at West Beach during the Coloured Teams years. Playing for the Purple Team, Tucker’s home run was set up to a softball home run fence distance, marking a significant milestone in the competition’s history.

However, the first full-sized home run, clearing a regulation baseball outfield fence, didn’t come until last season when Jess Maslin sent one out at Glenelg on either the 3rd of March 2024. A long-time power hitter in the league, Maslin’s historic blast solidified her place in South Australian baseball history.

“It felt insane and was a massive adrenaline rush, but I didn’t realise until I had run past first and the team was screaming,” Maslin recalls. “Sarah Short yelled out and then I knew it had happened.”

Since then, Maslin has continued her home run streak, including hitting a grand slam against Henley in their first matchup of this season. We are also set to believe she became the first South Australian to hit a home run at Nationals, launching one against Queensland at the Australian Women’s Nationals last April.

We also saw South Australian, Carly Moore, hit a home run at the Australian Baseball League Women’s showcase played at Geelong in 2022.

The Science Behind the Struggle

So why has it taken so long for home runs to become a reality in Women’s Division 1? The answer lies in physics, biomechanics, and a bit of history.

A full-sized baseball field presents a significant challenge for women, who, on average, generate less absolute power than their male counterparts due to differences in muscle mass and bat speed. Baseball fences typically sit between 295-260ft from home plate, requiring a near-perfect combination of bat speed, launch angle, and exit velocity to clear the boundary.

The ideal home run launch angle is around 25-30 degrees, with an exit velocity of at least 150 km/h (93 mph) on a full-sized diamond. Generating that kind of force requires years of strength training, technique refinement, and understanding how to optimise power output.

Maslin credits her home run success to dedicated power training, including underload and overload techniques. This method involves training with both lighter and heavier bats to improve bat speed and swing efficiency. “Hard work and power training with underload and overload made the difference,” she explains. Maslin also has a lot of diamond sport experience training and playing between baseball and softball.

The Changing Landscape

As the women’s game continues to grow, so does the emphasis on strength training, bat technology, and swing mechanics. With more players focusing on explosive power and refining their approach at the plate, it’s likely that home runs will become more frequent in the years to come.

The milestone home runs by Tucker and Maslin prove that barriers are meant to be broken. Their achievements inspire younger players to dream big and put in the work required to reach the next level. With continued focus on development, Women’s Division 1 could soon see home runs become a regular feature rather than a rare highlight.

For now, though, each home run is a reminder of how far the competition has come—and how much further it can still go.