The Intercounty Baseball League will make history this weekend when an all-female umpiring crew takes the field Saturday in Brantford. 

It's the first time in the league's 98 seasons and believed to be the only time a league of this calibre or higher, including at the semi-pro, minor league professional or professional level, has had three female umpires work a regular season game. 

“The IBL is not only a league for developing players but umpires as well,” IBL commissioner John Kastner said. “We're very proud to be able to provide an opportunity for these exceptional umpires to be able to work in what may be the best amateur league in Canada.”

Lisa Turbitt, Elise Lallement and Taylor Taccone will call the game between the Red Sox and Kitchener Panthers at 8 p.m. 

IBL umpire-in-chief Andy Herrington wanted to break new ground this season. 

“As far as I am aware, it's never been done,” he said. “We have very good female umpires in Ontario, including Lisa Turbitt, who in my opinion is probably the best in the world. 

“To be the first in a league to do it would be an honour. I thought it should be something that should be done for the progression of the sport.”

Unlike the NBA and NFL, Major League Baseball doesn't have an on-field female official. Herrington believes that will someday change.

“We need to make that happen. There's no reason there's anything different. The ability to call balls and strikes and say safe and out and know the rules of baseball has nothing to do with gender, so what does that matter?”

All three umpires are part of the national program. 

Turbitt is the veteran of the group and was part of the umpiring crew that worked the all-star game in Barrie July 1. 

The Burlington native got her break 36 years ago when she filled in as a T-ball umpire. 

“I think that it shows women and men, if you put your mind to it, there's nothing you can’t do,” she said. “It's about following your dream and not letting people tell you what you can do.”

Turbitt also sits on the World Baseball Softball Confederation umpiring commission, Baseball Canada's Grass Roots Committee and Baseball Ontario's umpires committee. 

She hopes fans at Arnold Anderson Stadium judge the umpires on their work, not their gender. 

“We want to get noticed when we make good calls,” she said. “The three of us will work super hard and you can't ask for any more.”

Visit theibl.ca for more. To speak to the umpires, contact Umpire in Chief Andy Herrington at 905-806-3401