Rachel Balkovec was a winner as the first woman to manage a minor league affiliate of a Major League Baseball team.
Working for the New York Yankees, she guided the Tampa Tarpons over Lakeland 9-6 Friday night in the Class A Florida State League. The 34-year-old Balkovec drew cheers and chants from the crowd in her debut.
The Yankees announced her hiring as a minor league manager in January. She was a former softball catcher at Creighton and New Mexico. She previously worked for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros.
