Batavia Muckdogs 113-61 vs. California Coolers 102-70

California wins World Series 4-3

Game 1 – Welcome to the SWBA 2025 World Series.  This year’s edition has a repeat of the two competitors in last year’s World Series.  This time around the teams are more evenly matched.  Game 1 has the mid-season Muckdog pickup, Chris Sale, facing off against the Coolers’ tough Dylan Cease.  The Coolers strike first in the bottom of the 2nd with Justyn-Henry Malloy hitting a lead-off double, advancing on a FC by Triston Casas, and scoring on another FC by Miguel Rojas.  The pitchers duel through the next two innings.  In the top of the fifth, the Muckdogs try to start things up. Mickey Moniak gets all of it to deep left center but not enough to clear the fence.  Next up, Gaby Moreno singles and Andres Gimenez surprisingly barrels an 0-2 pitch that does have enough to clear the fence, Muckdogs lead 2-1.  Cease continues his troubles by walking Trey Sweeney and hitting Richie Palacios.  With runners at the corners, the dangerous Jose Ramirez steps to the plate.  Cease gets Ramirez to ground to 1st, Casas turns a 363 double play.  End of threat.  After a quiet bottom of the 5th with Sale strikes out 2 of 3.  Schwarber greets Cease in the 6th with a double off the wall.  Two batters later Moniak double Schwarber home to increase the lead to 3-1.  In the home half of the 6th, Daniel Schneemann triples down the RF line and the Coolers have something cooking.  But Sale has other thoughts and bears down, striking out Seiya Suzuki and Malloy to end the inning.  The Muckdogs get nothing in the 7th and Sale comes out to start the bottom of the 7th.  Sale serves up singles to Rafael Marchan and Rojas with Marchan advancing to third to make it runners at the corners and no out. Jeremiah Estrada enters with the tying run at first and responds by getting Elias Diaz to fly to shallow LCF, strikes out Joey Ortiz and gets PH Ernie Clement to fly out to LCF.  A frustrated home crowd gets restless and are more disappointed when Tyler Holton comes on in relief and gives up a HR to Kyle Schwarber to extend the lead to 4-1.  Holton recovers to get out of the inning without more damage. Kris Bubic closes out the home team in the 8th. Daniel Hudson strikes out the side to get to the last chance for the home team. Kenley Jansen enters to close out the game for the NL champs. Brett Baty K’s but Jake Cronenworth doubles of the wall down the RF line.  Rojas is up next, he grounds to Ramirez.  Cronenworth is a little too aggressive and gets caught in a rundown for out number 2.  Diaz weakly flies to shallow LF ending the game.  The Muckdogs take away the home field advantage in the Series.   Gimenez is named game MVP going 2-4 with a HR and 2 RBI, but Sale was a close second with a solid 6IP 7H 1ER 0BB 8K.   The teams meet again tomorrow for game 2.

Game 2 – Game 2 in California has a matchup with arguably the best starter from each team, Zack Wheeler for the Muckdogs and Corbin Burnes for the Coolers.  And boy, they did not disappoint.  The NLCS MVP Wheeler heads out to the mound in the bottom of the 7th in hopes of continuing his mastery of the California lineup.  But Seiya Suzuki leaned in and was struck by a 2-2 fastball to take one for the team.  Then Wheeler walked Brett Baty to have 1st and 2nd, no out in a scoreless game.  Manager Mark Landhuis heads to the mound signaling for rightie Hunter Gaddis to relieve Wheeler who finishes with a 6IP 2H 3BB 5K and 2HBP line.  Gaddis gets Elias Diaz to whiff on 3 pitches.  Wiley Cooler manager Roberto Blanco relays to his 3rd base coach for a double steal with Leody Taveras batting catching the Muckdogs a little asleep.  Suzuki arrives at 3rd under Joe Ramirez’s tag and now the Coolers have 2 runners in scoring position.  Gaddis, obviously not concentrating on the runners, bears down on the batter, and he fans Taveras on a 2-2 pitch.  Can the Muckdogs escape with no score? Jake Cronenworth answers with an RBI dribbler that Cronenworth beats out the throw and Suzuki, going with 2 outs, scores easily.  The hometown fans are in a frenzy now leading 1-0 and still have runners at the corners with 2 out. Miguel Rojas now up with the slugger Aaron Judge on deck.  Gaddis does not need to be reminded how important getting Rojas out.  Gaddis offers a 1-0 pitch and Rojas gets good wood on it, pulling the ball down the RF line but into the glove of Jhonkensy Noel, end of threat!  On to the 8th, Burnes continues for the Coolers.  He gets the first 2 outs but is running on fumes with 110 pitches.  Burnes leaves the game with an outstanding 7.2IP 2H 0R 0BB 8K. Daniel Hudson enters to get the last out of the inning and is greeted by a drive off the LF wall that gets away from Taveras allowing Jose Caballero to get to 3rd standing up.  PHer Pavin Smith steps to the plate to try to get a 2 out game tying RBI, but pops out to Rojas at 2B to preserve the 1-0 lead.  The Coolers go 1-2-3 in the 8th and have their closer Devin Williams taking the ball to finish game 2 with a W.  After getting Ramirez to ground out, Williams walks Richie Palacios.  Palacios steals second to place the tying run in scoring position. Kyle Schwarber now faces Williams and rakes his 1-0 offering of the wall down the RF line.  Palacios scores the tying run easily.  Now the Muckdogs have the go ahead run in scoring position with Mike Trout at the dish.  Trout takes a big cut on a 1-2 pitch and comes up empty. Nathaniel Lowe works a full count and induces a walk.  Williams bears down and gets Gabriel Moreno on 3 pitches.  The home half of the 9th has Jeremiah Estrada allow the pesky Suzuki a single and is relieved by Danny Coulombe.  PHer Rafael Marchan advances Suzuki to 2nd on a FC.  Suzuki advances the winning run to 3rd on another FC.  #9 hitter Taveras steps to the plate to be the hero.  The hometown chants their encouragement.  Coulombe gets Taveras on 3 straight pitches to send the game into extra innings.  The two teams send the game quietly into an SWBA World Series Record 14th inning with Batavia only managing a Schwarber single and the Coolers manage a Judge walk and a Rojas single in the 4 extra innings so far.  The top of the 14th starts with a Schwarber walk which brings in Colin Holderman in relief of  Holton.  Schwarber is out at 2nd on a Trout FC.  Trout advances on a Mickey Moniak fielder’s choice to put the go ahead runner in scoring position.  Lowe, with a 0-2 count, lines a single to right to score Trout for a Muckdog 2-1 lead.  The crowd grows silent as Moreno follows the go ahead score with another single, now runners at the corners.  PHer Trey Sweeney ends the threat by popping out to the catcher. Kenley Jansen enters hoping for another clean slate for a save.  The inning was not clean but Jansen delivers by striking out Daniel Schneemann and after walking Diaz induces a game-ending DP.  The Muckdog escape with 2 Ws on the road and take a 2-0 series advantage to their home fans.  It was a great game that unfortunately someone had to lose. 

Game 3 – Facing a must-win moment in Game 3 of the World Series, California delivered its biggest punch of October — and walked away with its first win of the series, topping Batavia 5–2 in a statement performance. California came out swinging and never looked back. Nine batters stepped to the plate in a thunderous first inning that produced four runs on six hits. Ernie Clement ignited the rally with a clutch two-run double to flip the early deficit into a 2–0 lead. Moments later, Seiya Suzuki lined an RBI single to extend the advantage, and Elias Díaz followed with another run-scoring knock to make it 4–0 before Batavia could settle in. In a series where runs had been hard to come by, California’s early eruption changed everything. Heliot Ramos launched a solo homer in the first to put his team on the board. In the second inning, superstar Mike Trout crushed a solo shot to cut the lead to 4–2 and momentarily swing the energy. But the momentum didn’t last. Catcher Gabriel Moreno exited with an injury in the second inning, and Trout later left the game in the fourth with a major injury — a crushing blow in the middle of a World Series battle. Starter Nick Pivetta steadied the game after the early home runs, pitching five strong innings while allowing just two hits and two earned runs. He struck out three and walked one, earning the win and giving California the postseason start it desperately needed. Batavia’s Kutter Crawford recovered after the rocky first but was saddled with the loss after surrendering four early runs. California added a critical insurance run in the seventh. After a big night from Miguel Rojas (two doubles), Clement struck again with an RBI single to stretch the lead to 5–2 — giving the bullpen breathing room in a high-stakes game.​ Meanwhile, Aaron Judge was a constant presence on the bases, reaching four times (one hit, three walks, 2 intentional) and forcing Batavia’s pitchers to work every inning.​ This time, when California turned to its closer — They got exactly what was needed.​ Devin Williams fired a flawless 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure his first save of the series and lock down California’s first win of the World Series.

Game 4 – The defending champion Batavia Muckdogs moved within one win of another title Thursday night, riding a thunderous early offensive barrage to an 8–4 victory over the California Coolers in Game 4 of the 2025 SWBA World Series at Globe Life Field. Batavia erupted for eight runs in the first two innings and never looked back, taking a commanding 3–1 series lead. A crowd watching the dome-covered ballpark saw the Muckdogs blast four home runs in the opening frames, immediately putting California on its heels. Batavia’s power display began in the first inning when Heliot Ramos launched a two-run homer to open the scoring, followed shortly by a solo shot from Jhonkensy Noel. An RBI double from Gary Sánchez capped a four-run inning. The Muckdogs struck again in the second, as José Ramírez crushed a towering 422-foot two-run homer before Game MVP Randal Grichuk followed with a 428-foot blast of his own. The early surge chased California starter Jesús Luzardo after just 1⅔ innings, in which he surrendered eight runs on nine hits. Meanwhile, Batavia starter Joe Musgrove kept the Coolers quiet through most of the night, allowing only four hits across 6⅓ innings while striking out seven. California finally showed signs of life in the seventh inning when Ernie Clement delivered an RBI single and Seiya Suzuki belted a two-run homer to trim the deficit. A pinch-hit RBI single from Daniel Schneemann brought the Coolers within four, but the Batavia bullpen quickly shut the door to preserve the victory. With the win, the Muckdogs now sit one victory away from back-to-back SWBA championships. Game 5 will give Batavia a chance to finish the job, while California faces elimination and must solve the Muckdogs’ power-packed lineup to keep the series alive.

Game 5 – California kept its season alive Friday night, holding off Batavia for a 5–4 win in Game 5 on Oct. 24, 2025, staving off elimination in dramatic fashion. The Coolers grabbed the early edge in the second inning when Elias Díaz delivered a two-out RBI single to score Joey Ortiz for a 1–0 lead. The advantage grew in the fifth. Jake Cronenworth singled home Miguel Rojas, and Aaron Judge followed with an RBI single to make it 3–0. Judge added another run-scoring hit in the seventh, extending the lead to 4–0 and seemingly putting California in firm control. But the bottom of the seventh changed everything. A fielding error opened the door for Batavia, allowing the inning to continue and giving the home club an opportunity it didn’t waste. Nate Lowe capitalized with a three-run homer to cut the deficit to one, and Mickey Moniak followed with a solo shot to tie the game at 4. Batavia sent eight batters to the plate in the inning, erasing the four-run deficit. California responded in the ninth. Facing Kenley Jansen, Cronenworth led off the inning with a solo home run to restore the lead at 5–4. The blast proved to be the game-winner, as Cronenworth finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Tyler Holton earned the win with 1.1 scoreless innings in relief and Devin Williams closed it out with a scoreless ninth for his second save of the World Series. Batavia’s rally nearly ended California’s season, but Cronenworth’s late heroics ensured the series would continue.

Game 6 – ​For the 2nd game in a row, the Coolers found themselves in a must-win situation. They rose to the occasion and delivered a knockout punch in Game 6 — and they did it in style. Batavia came out swinging early, stunning the crowd with a three-run first inning. Gabriel Moreno launched a solo shot, and Mike Trout followed with a two-run blast to silence the California dugout and grab a quick 3-0 lead. But the American League champions didn’t blink. The home team got on the board in the second when Seiya Suzuki crushed a solo homer to cut the deficit to 3-1. From there, the game turned into a tense pitching duel. Corbin Burnes settled in after the rocky first, grinding through 5.2 innings to keep his club within striking distance. Then came the sixth inning — the one fans will be talking about for years. Facing Batavia’s Ace, Zack Wheeler, California erupted for seven runs, sending 12 batters to the plate and completely flipping the script. The rally started with traffic on the bases, then Suzuki delivered again with an RBI single. Elias Diaz lifted a sacrifice fly to tie it, and that’s when the knockout blows landed. Game MVP Triston Casas crushed a three-run dinger to give California its first lead of the afternoon. Moments later, Leody Taveras sent another ball into the seats for a two-run shot, and just like that, a 3-1 deficit had turned into an 8-3 California advantage. Batavia scratched one back in the eighth, but California answered immediately with an insurance run on a sacrifice fly from Joey Ortiz to make it 9-4. Out of the bullpen, Matt Strahm picked up the win, and Tyler Holton slammed the door shut, pitching a clean 9th.

Game 7 – On October 27, 2025, the California Coolers and the Batavia Muckdogs met for the final game of the 2025 SWBA Season. The pressure was sky-high from the first pitch, and Batavia wasted no time striking first. In the top of the 1st, the Muckdogs sent seven batters to the plate, capitalizing on two hits and two walks. Jhonkensy Noel delivered the big blow with a single that plated two runs, giving Batavia a quick 2–0 lead. For a Game 7 on the biggest stage, it was far from the start California fans were hoping for. But this Coolers team has battled all series long. And they weren’t about to let the season slip away quietly. California answered in the 2nd inning when Triston Casas crushed a 409-foot solo home run, igniting the dugout and cutting the deficit to 2–1. An inning later, the superstar stepped up. Aaron Judge launched a towering solo shot of his own, tying the game at 2–2 and sending the crowd into a frenzy. By the 4th inning, the Coolers were in full attack mode. Elias Díaz led off with a solo homer to give California its first lead of the night. Moments later, Casas struck again, hammering his second home run of the game to push the advantage to 4–2. Just like that, California had recovered from its poor start, and found itself with a bit of breathing room. Batavia chipped away in the 6th inning as base knocks by Gabriel Moreno and Mickey Moniak set the stage for Noel’s 3rd RBI of the game, as he lifted a fly ball deep enough to score a run, narrowing the margin to 4–3. In the 7th, José Caballero delivered a clutch solo homer off Cooler reliever Anthony Banda to tie the game at 4–4. The tension inside the ballpark was suffocating. Every pitch mattered. Every swing could change everything. Then came the 9th inning. Batavia struck first again. Pesky Jose Caballero leads off with an infield single, then advances to 2nd on a fielder’s choice. Richie Palacios then lines a single to centerfield, as Caballero scampers home with the go-ahead run, putting the Muckdogs ahead 5–4 and leaving California down to its final three outs. The Coolers’ magical run appeared to be slipping away. With the season on the line, Batavia manager Mark Landhuis sent his best reliever Hunter Gaddis out to pitch the 9th, after he had set the Coolers down in order in the 8th. Gaddis got Game 5 hero Jake Cronenworth to ground out to 1st, one out. Elias Diaz then recorded his second base hit on the day, and California had life, but only 2 outs left. Triston Casas then stepped to the plate already having launched two home runs earlier in the game. The weight of the entire season seemingly rested on his shoulders. And he delivered. Casas crushed a two-run blast—his third homer of the night—sending the ball soaring and the crowd erupting as it cleared the fence. Walk-off. Ballgame. World Series over!!! Final score: California 6, Batavia 5. Casas’ line was the stuff of legends: 3-for-4, three home runs, four RBIs, and three runs scored. In the biggest game of the year, he authored one of the greatest Game 7 performances in SWBA history. Elias Díaz added two hits and a homer, while Aaron Judge’s blast helped spark the early comeback. On the mound, California’s bullpen held firm when it mattered most. Game 5 starting pitcher, Dylan Cease earned the win with two gritty innings of relief, allowing just one run while striking out two. Batavia’s Hunter Gaddis was tagged with the loss after surrendering the decisive runs in the 9th. This wasn’t supposed to happen. The Coolers faced adversity early in this series, dropping the first two games, at home no less. And at one point trailing 3 games to 1.  In Game 7, they trailed early, rallied to lead mid game, but lost the lead, and trailed by a run with only 2 outs to go. But still standing when it mattered most. The California Coolers are SWBA World Series Champions, forever remembered as the team that defied all odds and delivered a Game 7 classic for the ages. Triston Casas’  game 7 heroics earned him the MVP award.