The New Britain Bees rolled to their first FCBL title Sunday. (Photo courtesy of FCBL)

The 2026 Futures Collegiate League produced a first.

A first championship for the New Britain (Conn.) Bees.

The Bees repeated their Game 1 success in the deciding Game 3 of the Finals, topping host Vermont by an identical 11-0 score to capture the hardware before 2,750 at Burlington’s Centennial Field.

The No. 2 Bees, who had to return to Vermont yesterday after losing a potential Game 2 clincher 1-0 Saturday night, outhit top seed Vermont 11-3.

Owen Rich was the standout for the Bees as he went 5 for 5 with three RBIs and four runs scored. Rich doubled in two runs in the fourth and had an RBI single in the ninth. The Bees, already up 1-0, broke the game open in the fourth with five runs, keyed by Rich’s double, a Tyler Garbooshian RBI single, and one of two Vermont errors.

Meanwhile, on the pitching side, the Bees’ Garret Garbinski – the FCBL’s regular season ERA champ – pitched seven shutout innings, allowing three hits while walking two and striking out seven. Thomas Harding pitched the final two innings of scoreless, hitless ball.

Vermont, meanwhile, had just five base runners, and scored just one run the entire final series. Starter Isaac Jensen took the loss allowing six runs (four earned) over three innings.

New Britain joined the FCBL in 2020 and was in the finals last year, losing to Norwich. Vermont, owned by former Nashua Pride owner Chris English, won the title in 2021 but has now lost in three subsequent appearances.