(Photo courtesy of Jim McKenzie)
(Waldorf, Md., June 13, 2026) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 2-1 in seven innings on Saturday night in the resumption of Friday’s (6/12) suspended game and 9-8 in seven frames in the regularly scheduled contest as the two ballclubs played games four and five of a six-game series at Regency Furniture Stadium.
In the suspended game, the Blue Crabs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the fourth inning when Danny Bautista Jr. scored from third on a wild pitch thrown by Ducks starting pitcher Tanner Jacobson. The home team added an insurance run in the sixth for a 2-0 cushion on Ethan Wilson’s RBI single. Long Island cut the deficit to 2-1 in the seventh on Marcus Chiu’s run-scoring base knock but would get no closer as Southern Maryland hung on for the one-run victory.
Blue Crabs starter Kyle Virbitsky registered a no-decision after retiring all six batters he faced across two innings of work, striking out four. Isaac Fix (1-0) picked up the win in relief, tossing four scoreless and hitless innings, walking two and striking out three. Jacobson (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing one run on three hits in three innings on the mound to go along with a walk and a strikeout.
Ronaldo Hernandez and Chiu each had a hit apiece, while Anthony Garcia walked twice in three plate appearances.
In the regularly scheduled game, Southern Maryland jumped ahead 1-0 in the first as Jackson Loftin homered to left centerfield on the first pitch thrown by Long Island starter Ryan Langford. The Flock scored twice in the third for a 2-1 advantage on Garcia’s two-run base knock off Blue Crabs starter Connor Overton. The visitors scored five times in the fourth to go up 7-1, highlighted by a two-run single from Chris Roller and an RBI base hit by Gavin Collins.
The Blue Crabs plated three runs in the home half of the fourth cutting the deficit to 7-4 on a Phillip Sikes three-run home run to center. The Flock added an insurance run in the seventh to go ahead 8-4 on Roller’s run-scoring two-base hit. Southern Maryland scored five times in their final turn at the plate one-half inning later by way of RBI base hits from Loftin, Brody Fahr, Viandel Pena and Alejandro De Aza along with an RBI double by Sikes, with De Aza’s base knock completing the comeback as the Blue Crabs registered their second victory in their final turn at the plate in the series.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Langford gave up four runs on two hits in three innings pitched, walking two and striking out four. Overton surrendered seven runs on eight hits across four innings of work, walking four while striking out five. Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (1-0) picked up the victory in relief after giving up one run on two hits in two innings pitched to go along with a pair of strikeouts. Bryan Shaw (1-1) suffered the loss, giving up three runs on five hits in one-third of an inning, walking and striking out one.
Roller had two hits, three RBIs a run scored, a walk and a stolen base. Jorge Bonifacio tallied two hits a run scored and a walk, while Garcia had a hit and two RBIs to extend his on-base streak to a team-high 24 consecutive games overall.
The Ducks and Blue Crabs wrap up their six-game series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. at Regency Furniture Stadium. Fans can follow all the action for both games live on Dugout TV, powered by HomeTeam Network. Subscribe today by CLICKING HERE. Right-hander Nolan Clenney (3-3, 4.59) toes the rubber for the Ducks against Blue Crabs righty Ian Kahaloa (4-1, 4.53).
Long Island returns home on Tuesday, June 16, to begin a six-game series with the Lancaster Stormers. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 p.m. (5:20 p.m. for full season ticket holders). It will be a Pat’s Marketplace Tuesday and a Triple Play Tuesday at the ballpark. Tickets to the game and all Ducks games are now available and can be purchased by visiting the ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.
The Long Island Ducks are entering their 26th season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, N.Y. They are the all-time leader in wins and attendance in Atlantic League history, have led all MLB Partner Leagues in total attendance for five consecutive seasons, and have sold out a record 724 games all-time. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825).
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
Celebrating its third decade, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. Over its 27-year history, the ALPB has sent over 1,450 players to MLB organizations while drawing nearly 50 million fans to its 10 state-of-the-art ballparks that stretch from New York to North Carolina. Follow the action on DugoutTV.org.
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