Woman makes MLB history as the first female umpire

ATLANTA (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - For the first time in baseball history, a woman has umpired a regular-season game in the Major Leagues.

Jen Pawol took to the field Saturday as part of the umpiring crew for the game between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins.

The 48-year-old says she was overcome with emotion Thursday when she learned she would make her Major League debut this weekend.

"[It's] like [a] dream came true. Like the dream actually came true today, and I'm still living in it, and I'm just so grateful to my my family, to Major League Baseball for just creating such an amazing work environment," Pawol expressed.

She has been working in the Minor Leagues since 2016, but did work in spring training games last year and again this year.

In Saturday's double-header in Atlanta, she umpired at first base during the first game, and she's set to work at third base later in the evening.

On Sunday, she'll be calling balls and strikes behind home plate.

Brave's rookie starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep remembers Pawol from his days in the Minor Leagues.

"I've had her in Triple-A a couple of times. It's really cool. I was able to congratulate her. That's awesome for her. I know, I can't imagine how hard it is for her to have come up and everyone says...probably told her it was impossible. But to be a part of that and, ya know, they made a big deal of that, as it should be, and that's pretty cool for her."

Hurston Waldrep, pitcher, Atlanta Braves