A French Trailblazer in Freeport
Fourteen‑year‑old Shaily Penfornis stepped onto the fields of Freeport this week as the sole French representative at the International Baseball Invitational, a tournament that has become a showcase for the next generation of talent.
Penfornis, who has been swinging a bat and throwing pitches since 2023, plays for the Hawks baseball club in her hometown of La Guerche de Bretagne. The youngster travels to the United States with her father, Greg Penfornis, who has been her constant coach and supporter throughout her short but intense career.
She cites two players as her idols: Shohei Ohtani, whose dual‑role brilliance on the mound and at the plate inspires her, and Jackie Robinson, whose legacy she honors by wearing the number 42 on her jersey.
In four games she has already pitched, hit, and manned first base, delivering a fastball that topped out at 61 mph and contributing a key hit in a victory over a Dutch side. Her all‑around performance has drawn attention from tournament officials and fellow competitors alike.
Recognition from the Baseball Community
A minor tendon inflammation in her right elbow threatened to sideline her, but after a brief evaluation and treatment she returned to the mound, determined to prove that the setback would not define her season.
Dave Brestensky, vice president of the Freeport International Baseball Invitational, praised Penfornis for her relentless work ethic, noting that her commitment to learning and improving sets a benchmark for young athletes.
The French national baseball federation’s decision this year to discontinue its women’s program has only strengthened Penfornis and her father’s resolve to keep the sport alive in France, with plans to field a full hometown team next summer.
Brestensky hopes that teams from Canada, Italy, Japan and Australia will continue to join the Freeport event, while French officials are already discussing a reciprocal tour that would bring a Freeport squad to France in the coming year.
Beyond the scoresheet, Penfornis sees herself as a trailblazer for girls who dream of stepping onto the diamond, hoping her story will encourage more young women in France to pick up a glove and chase a baseball dream.