Utica Unicorns Win 2026 USPBL Championship
September 13th, 2026
UTICA, Mich. – The Utica Unicorns (26-18, 1-0) are the. 2026 USPBL Champions, defeating the Westside Woolly Mammoths (24-19, 101), 9-5, in the Championship Game on Sunday afternoon at UWM Field. Utica collected 10 hits, including three home runs, to finish its season by raising the championship trophy.
The Unicorns wasted no time getting on the board, striking for three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Westside responded immediately, scoring three in the second and one in the third to take a 4-3 advantage. Utica pulled even with a run in the fourth before taking the lead for good in the fifth.
With the game tied at four in the bottom of the fifth, Zayd Brannigan delivered one of the biggest swings of the championship, launching a two-run home run to put Utica ahead, 6-4. Brannigan finished with three RBI, while Ryan Enos went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Utica’s pitching staff made the lead stand. After Westside scored four runs against starter Nick Cosentino, Calvin Shepherd took over and was outstanding, allowing just one run on two hits across five innings to earn the victory. Garrett Harker followed with two hitless and scoreless innings to close out the championship. Together, Utica’s pitchers limited Westside to just three hits.
The Unicorns then delivered the knockout punch in the bottom of the eighth. Alex Harrell launched a two-run home run, and Cecil Lofton followed immediately with a solo shot, giving Utica back-to-back homers and extending the advantage to 9-5. Harrell finished with three RBI and two runs scored, while Lofton collected two hits, two RBI and two runs.
Westside was unable to mount a final comeback in the ninth, and the celebration began at UWM Field as the Unicorns secured the 9-5 victory and the 2026 USPBL Championship. Utica finished the title game with nine runs on 10 hits, capping Championship Weekend.