One year ago, Chicago stood heartbroken as Oakland celebrated their USBA championship in a hard-fought three-game series. Fast forward to 2025, under the golden sun at Legacy Park, the roles were reversed. With determination in their eyes and fire in their bats, Chicago swept the defending champs in two decisive games to capture the title and close the book on a year-long mission of redemption.

Game 1 was an offensive explosion from the very start. Chicago came out swinging, as N. Haniff launched a three-run homer in the top of the first to jumpstart what would become a relentless offensive assault. Oakland, true to their championship pedigree, responded immediately with home runs from J. Chang and J. Deguzman to even the score at 3–3. But Chicago kept coming. Timely doubles from M. Samadzadeh and A. Latif, and another big hit from A. Dualeh helped rebuild and extend the lead. By the third inning, Chicago had taken firm control at 9–5.

While Oakland continued to battle, cutting into the lead with more homers—including a second from Chang and a two-run shot by A. Icz—they couldn’t keep pace with Chicago’s depth. O. Khattab’s solo blast in the sixth added to the damage, and the game ended 14–8 in favor of the challengers. Every time Oakland rallied, Chicago answered—and then some.

Game 2 was a different style of contest but showcased the same outcome. A tighter, more defensive game, Chicago broke a scoreless tie with an RBI single from N. Lavcanski in the first inning. In the third, the series’ defining moment came when S. Jamaluddin—who had already made an impact in Game 1—launched a three-run homer to extend the lead to 4–0. That swing effectively sealed Oakland’s fate.

Oakland’s only run came in the fifth inning, as J. Alcantara drove in R. Bebeacua. But any hopes of a comeback were extinguished by Chicago’s calm and steady defense. On the mound, Nasir Khan delivered a masterclass, holding one of the league’s most dangerous lineups to just a single run. His cool command and timely outs earned him the well-deserved honor of 2025 USBA Playoffs MVP.

Meanwhile, despite the loss, Oakland’s Jon Alcantara was recognized for his incredible season-long excellence, earning the title of 2025 USBA League MVP. Alcantara played all 14 games of the season, posting a .750 batting average, 1.250 slugging percentage, 5 home runs, 21 runs scored, and 27 RBIs. Coupled with his rock-solid defense, his all-around game anchored Oakland’s deep playoff run and earned him league-wide respect.

For Chicago, this championship is about more than just two wins. It’s about rewriting the ending to a story that began last fall with heartbreak. The combination of offensive power, clutch performances, shutdown pitching, and disciplined defense proved too much for Oakland this time around. Jamaluddin’s two home runs across the series, Dualeh’s consistent run production, and the leadership of veterans like M. Issa and S. Mann were instrumental in the sweep.

Oakland, valiant in defeat, now passes the torch. Chicago, once the runner-up, stands tall as the 2025 USBA Champions