The Beecher Muskies’ World Series title defense ended in frustrating fashion on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Wheaton in spite of another vintage effort from Brandon DuBois.
But DuBois’ career with the Muskies — currently at a franchise-record 25 seasons — will go on next summer.
DuBois had his best game of the season, throwing six shutout innings and allowing two hits, but the Muskies fell 5-4 to Buffalo Diesel on Aug. 1 in the quarterfinals of the NABF Major World Series at Lee Pfund Stadium.
Beecher, which won its second World Series title last year in Naperville, finished 21-14-1 after Diesel rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh to erase a 4-0 deficit.
DuBois walked one batter, hit one and struck out two while throwing 47 of 77 pitches for strikes.
The 42-year-old right-hander returned this season after missing almost all of 2025 for hip replacement surgery.
“It’s a long road to get here,” DuBois said. “So it’s always good when you play well when you get to this situation. Because it’s 295 days to the start of next season now. … Just thankful guys made playis behind me today.”
“He was absolutely on today,” Muskies manager Fred LeSage said, “At his age, with the stuff he’s got — changing speeds, moving the ball around and hitting spots — it kept them off balance all day. … That’s kind of his thing: don’t walk them, don’t hit them, make them get themselves out.”
DuBois is the Muskies’ career leader in games pitched, games started, strikeouts and wins. He plans to come back to add to those totals in 2027,
“Yeah, I’ve got nothing else to do,” he said with a laugh. “As long as they’ll have me.”
Beecher broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth. Tyler Brody was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Gabe McHugh, and Marty Coyle scored on an error to make it 2-0.
Bren Milburn then singled to left, bringing home Andrew Mack and Brody.
Zack Millsap took over on the mound for the Muskies in the top of the seventh and retired the first two batters. But Diesel then strung together six hits and an error to score five times and go ahead 5-4.
The game ended on a controversial call. With the potential tying run on third, Mack hit a grounder to the left side of the infield. He was called out on a close play at first to end the game.
LeSage saw a replay from the livestream of the game and said Mack was past the base when the ball arrived.
“It is like so not close,” LeSage said. “And then Marty (Coyle, Beecher’s catcher) said the third or fourth hitter in the top of the seventh, (Millsap) had struck out twice and didn’t get the call. And I know … umpires are only human beings. …
“There’s a reason they went to ABS and why they go to replay (reviews in the major leagues) because umpires make mistakes and they’re trying to get it right. These guys are trying to get it right, too. … But yeah, you hate to lose a season on one of those.”
Beecher advanced to the quarterfinals by going 2-1 in pool play, beating Erie Buffalo 3-0 and the New Jersey Sox 11-6 before falling 9-6 to the Cleveland Marlins.
The Muskies had to navigate around some injuries this season, most notably to shortstop Quintin Alexander and right fielder Andy Gaytan.
“Maybe it was a little bit of a World Series hangover from last year,” LeSage said. “We lost a few key guys from last year. Our pitching depth was not what it was a year ago and that probably plays into this a little bit.”
Bright spots included the play of Milburn, McHugh and Nolan Czako, who hit .583 with six RBIs and a 1.476 OPS in the World Series.
But in the end, LeSage said, “sometimes baseball is going to baseball.”