The Long Beach Coast won the 2026 Ulsan-KBO Fall League championship with a 6-2 victory over the Ulsan Whales at Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium, finishing the tournament with a 12-game undefeated streak consisting of 10 wins and two ties, as reported by StarNews Korea.
How a Roster Assembled on a Flight Swept Through South Korea
Players on the Long Beach Coast had not even taken a single practice together before boarding the flight to South Korea. The American independent league team entered the tournament only after a previously scheduled Mexican entry withdrew from the competition. Managed by Don Wakamatsu, the squad drew talent from independent clubs including the Long Beach Coast and the Oakland Ballers. Despite the rushed preparation, the team finished the preliminary round with 8 wins and 2 ties before adding two wins in the knockout stages to claim the title.
The final on October 31, 2026, pitted the visiting Americans against the Ulsan Whales, a newly founded professional club playing in its inaugural year. Ulsan reached the championship game after winning the Southern League title in the KBO Futures League and defeating the Kia Tigers 2-1 in the tournament semifinals. The Whales deployed a starting lineup featuring Park Moon-sun at second base, Noh Gang-min at third base, and pitcher Park Sung-woong on the mound.
Cooper West and Late-Inning Power Decide the Ulsan Final
Long Beach relied on heavy hitting to erase deficits throughout the afternoon. Trailing after Ulsan manufactured a run in the first inning via a leadoff single by 朴文顺 and an RBI single from 金瑞元, the Coast answered later in the game. Benjamin Rosengard singled and stole second before Cooper West drove a triple off the center-field wall to tie the game at 1-1.
TONIGHT. 10PM. LONG BEACH COASTVS ULSAN WHALES. KBO FALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP.stream LIVE on the KBO youtube channel! pic.twitter.com/Wz3rEXIJtx
Ulsan reclaimed the lead in the seventh inning when reliever Collier issued a bases-loaded walk to Ha Jae-hoon, making it 2-1. The advantage vanished immediately in the bottom half of the frame. West launched a home run over the right-field wall off Jo Jeong-young to pull Long Beach even once again. Following the home run, consecutive infield hits by Cobb Jr. and Ibarra set the table for Cuba Vess. Facing an 0-2 count, Vess lashed a double off the right-field wall to score the go-ahead run.
Closing the Door in the Eighth Inning
Long Beach broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Ulsan bullpen. With one out, Zablanski drew a walk, and Santos followed with a right-field single. Santos subsequently stole second on a passed ball before Johnston delivered a two-run single off pitcher Kim Do-gyu. Ibarra capped the rally with a two-run double, pushing the score to 6-2.
Ulsan mounted a final push in the top of the ninth inning through the top of their batting order, but the Coast bullpen held firm to preserve the four-run margin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final record of the Long Beach Coast in the tournament? The team finished the 2026 Ulsan-KBO Fall League with an undefeated record of 10 wins and two ties.
Who managed the Long Beach Coast squad? The team was managed by Don Wakamatsu, who previously served as the first Asian-American manager in Major League Baseball.
How did the Long Beach Coast qualify for the tournament? The team entered the competition as a replacement after a Mexican club that was originally scheduled to participate withdrew from the event.
Which team did Long Beach defeat in the semifinals before reaching the championship? The Coast defeated the LG Twins 4-2 on October 30, 2026, thanks to a walk-off two-run home run by Benjamin Rosengard in the bottom of the ninth inning.
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