MALONE, N.Y. – The Malone Border Hounds are officially the kings of the Empire Baseball League. With a dominant 28-9 regular season record and a commanding postseason run, the Border Hounds capped off their 2025 campaign by sweeping the defending champion Tupper Lake Riverpigs in the best-of-five Championship Series.

Game 3, played before a packed and roaring Malone crowd, ended in dramatic fashion. Tied in the bottom of the ninth, utility man Mason Collins delivered the biggest swing of the season — a two-RBI walk-off single that sent teammates spilling onto the field in celebration.

The Border Hounds’ playoff dominance was a statement in itself. They never trailed in the series, combining explosive offense with airtight defense and clutch pitching to put away a Riverpigs team that had ruled the league in recent years.

The championship marks the second in franchise history for the Border Hounds and signals a power shift in the Empire League hierarchy. The Riverpigs, long considered the standard of excellence, were dethroned in decisive fashion by a team that blended veteran leadership, rising talent, and an unshakable will to win.