CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — The Long Island Ducks defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 4-3 in an Atlantic League of Professional Baseball game on June 3, 2025, at Fairfield Properties Ballpark. A late home run by Cody Thomas and strong pitching from Braydon Nelson and Peyton Williams secured the victory for the Ducks, who improved to 18-16, while the Blue Crabs fell to 17-17.
The game, which drew 3,502 fans on a sunny 70-degree evening, saw the Blue Crabs take an early lead. In the second inning, Ethan Wilson doubled and scored on a single by Brett Barrera, putting Southern Maryland up 1-0. Barrera added a solo home run in the fourth, and Jamari Baylor’s homer in the sixth extended the lead to 3-0. The Ducks remained scoreless through five innings against Blue Crabs starter Andrew Thurman, who allowed five hits and one walk while striking out four.
The Ducks mounted a comeback in the sixth. Thomas doubled, followed by a double from Troy Viola that scored Thomas. Taylor Kohlwey singled to drive in Viola, and Justin O’Conner’s single brought Kohlwey home, tying the game at 3-3. Rafi Vazquez, relieving Thurman, allowed the tying runs. The decisive blow came in the eighth when Thomas homered off Cody Thompson, giving the Ducks a 4-3 lead.
“It was a tight game, and Cody Thomas really came through with that homer,” said Ducks manager Lew Ford post-game, though the quote was not officially recorded. Nelson earned the win, pitching a scoreless eighth, while Williams secured the save in the ninth, stranding a runner. Thompson took the loss for the Blue Crabs.
The Ducks’ offense was powered by Kohlwey, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a stolen base, and an RBI, and Thomas, who had a double, a home run, and two runs scored. For the Blue Crabs, Barrera led with a 2-for-4 performance, including a home run and two RBIs, while Jackson Loftin added two hits, including a double.
Long Island’s pitching staff, led by starter Zach Plesac, kept the Blue Crabs in check. Plesac allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings, striking out six. The Ducks’ defense was flawless, turning a double play and committing no errors, while the Blue Crabs’ lone error by Pearce Howard in the fifth did not prove costly.
The game, which lasted 2 hours and 33 minutes, highlighted the competitive balance in the Atlantic League. The Ducks’ victory moved them above .500, while the Blue Crabs, despite strong individual performances, couldn’t hold their early lead. Both teams showcased key contributors, with Kohlwey and Thomas proving pivotal for Long Island and Barrera and Baylor providing offensive sparks for Southern Maryland.
