2026 60+ National

Boston Wolfpack 9, Maine Diamond Dogs 0

By Sterling Endicott

The Boston Wolfpack Baseball Club captured the 2026 MSBL Holiday Classic in Sanford, Florida, with an impressive all-around performance. The Wolfpack went 4–0 in round-robin play to earn the top seed, then defeated the Orlando Royals in the semifinals and the Maine Diamond Dogs in the championship.

In the semifinals against the Orlando Royals, coached by Brian Blevins, the same manager Boston faced 26 years earlier in their first-ever semifinal appearance at the 2001 Holiday Classic, Mike Smith spun a stellar performance. He threw a complete-game shutout while going 3-for-4 at the plate, including a two-run home run to power the Wolfpack to victory.  Jose Delgado also contributed three hits.

In the championship game, Boston faced the Diamond Dogs, led by Clair Crandall, a former member of the Wolfpack’s 2001 team that played against Orlando. The matchup was a rematch of the 2023 MSBL Holiday Classic final, which Maine had won. This time, with a healthy roster, Boston came out on top to claim the title. Urbano Leal pitched a three-hit shutout, while tournament MVP Dwayne “Pick” Contee added three more hits, finishing with a remarkable .792 on-base percentage for the tournament.

Other tournament highlights included David Oliver’s two home runs and strong pitching performances from Edgardo Mercado, Barry Foster, and Enrique Ayala, all of whom played key roles in securing the championship.

Notably, five players in the championship game—across both Boston and Maine—were also part of the Wolfpack in 2001. This connection offered a moment to reflect on more than 25 years of teammates, competition, and shared experiences made possible through MSBL tournaments.