The Long Island Ducks are baseball champions again after winning the 2026 Atlantic League Championship Series.
The Ducks completed the three-game sweep against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on September 25, winning 7-2.
This title marks the fifth for Long Island, tying the team with the York Revolution for the most championships among active franchises in league history. The Somerset Patriots have six championships, but their last participation in the Atlantic League was in 2020.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” Long Island Ducks manager Lew Ford said of the championship.
The Ducks swept the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars in three games during the North Division Championship to secure their spot in the title series.
A well earned celebration @LIDucks pic.twitter.com/Vf9ucWcZfs
— Atlantic League (@AtlanticLg) September 26, 2026
Long Island took the lead in all three games, building solid leads that gave its pitching staff room for error en route to three straight victories.
Long Island took a 6-0 lead in the series opener and held on to win 6-4. The Ducks then took an 8-0 lead in the second game before winning 8-4. In the third game, Long Island took the lead in front of their home crowd.
The Ducks took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles by Henry Kusiak and Jorge Bonifacio.
Long Island scored again in the fourth and fifth innings, before Wilmer Difo homered in the seventh to put the team up 5-0. Difo caught the final out of the game—a line drive to his right at shortstop—to seal the series victory for the Ducks in the ninth inning.
What followed was pure joy: the lights at Fairfield Properties Ballpark flashed, the crowd cheered and players and coaches celebrated on the infield grass.
«The search for the fifth title has reached its goal. The perfect postseason is complete,” said Michael Polak, vice president of communications for the Ducks, during the broadcast after the final out.
“It’s really special to win in front of the home fans,” Ford said. «It is a magnificent moment. I’m very happy for the fans; We did it for you and we hope you enjoyed it.
Nick Margevicius pitched all nine innings in the series-clinching game, allowing two runs and seven hits, while striking out five.
It was his second victory of the series and, after Friday’s game, he was named “Most Valuable Player” of the Championship Series.
Ford called Margevicius’ performance in Game 3 “a gem.”
The Ducks dominated throughout the season, achieving the most victories in the Atlantic League in the regular season (80) and winning the second half championship of the North Division with a record of 43-20.
The Long Island team has never won back-to-back titles, a feat the Ducks will try to accomplish in the 2027 season.
FINAL OUT THAT MADE US CHAMPS ⚡️🦆⚾️ pic.twitter.com/ioTk0aCMDg
— Long Island Ducks (@LIDucks) September 26, 2026
