The Mississippi Mud Monsters came tantalizingly close to securing a road victory in their series opener against the Windy City ThunderBolts, only to fall short in a dramatic finish.
The game began on a promising note for Mississippi, with Victor Diaz hitting his first home run of the season, providing an early lead. Diaz ended the night with two hits, alongside teammate Karell Paz, who also went 2-for-4.
James Boeree, starting on the mound for the Mud Monsters, pitched 5.1 innings without a decision, striking out nine batters and conceding five walks. Reliever Tyree Thompson contributed 3.2 innings, allowing only two hits and striking out two.
The ThunderBolts managed to level the score in the sixth inning with a bunt single from James Dunlap, bringing home Jalen Greer.
Mississippi reclaimed the lead in the 10th inning when Travis Holt hit a two-run homer to center field, his sixth of the season, putting the team ahead 3-1. However, Windy City mounted a comeback. Sergio Sanchez, pitching for Mississippi, struck out the first batter but then allowed a sacrifice fly, narrowing the lead to one. A full-count walk to Grant Thoroman set the stage for Michael Sandle, who delivered a walk-off hit, just out of reach of fielder Brayland Skinner.
Despite matching Windy City in hits and surpassing them in home runs, Mississippi left seven runners stranded, dropping to 2–5 on their road trip. The Mud Monsters now hold a 15–19 record this season, remaining in fourth place in the Frontier League’s Midwest Conference West Division.
Current Standings:
- Schaumburg Boomers: 22–12
- Gateway Grizzlies: 20–13 (1.5 games back)
- Joliet Slammers: 17–17 (5.0 games back)
- Mississippi Mud Monsters: 15–19 (7.0 games back)
- Windy City ThunderBolts: 9–25 (13.0 games back)
Mississippi has lost two consecutive games, with a 4–6 record over their last ten matchups.
Team Leaders as of June 17:
- Batting Average: Brayland Skinner (.301)
- Home Runs: Travis Holt (6)
- RBI: Travis Holt (21)
- Stolen Bases: Brayland Skinner (25, 1st in Frontier League)
- ERA: Chris Barraza (0.59), Michael Reed (1.72)
- Wins: Tyree Thompson (4, T-2nd in Frontier League)
- Strikeouts: Brian Williams (29), Brandon Mitchell (28), Rodney Theophile (26)
Upcoming Games: The Mud Monsters will play two more games in Crestwood against the ThunderBolts, with both games starting at 6:35 PM. Following this, they will head to Sauget for a weekend series against the Gateway Grizzlies, beginning Friday, June 20.
Next Homestand: June 24–29 at Trustmark Park
- June 24: Master Mudders Club (55+) & Bingo
- June 25: Monster Matinee & “What’s on the Stick?” Wednesday
- June 26: Golf Night & Thirsty Thursday ($2 draft beers)
- June 27: Fireworks Friday presented by Mississippi Forestry Commission
- June 28: Red, White & Tanked Bud Tank Top Giveaway (21+) + Jersey Auction
- June 29: Howl in the Park, Kids Club Day presented by BadgePass + Kids Run the Bases presented by Mississippi Children’s Museum
Tickets are available at mudmonstersbaseball.com for what promises to be a thrilling week of baseball action.
