Booker Homers, Capping off Four-Hit Day in Loss to Y'alls
FL Mississippi Mud Monsters

Booker Homers, Capping off Four-Hit Day in Loss to Y'alls

Published on July 18, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Mississippi Mud Monsters News Release


Mississippi Mud Monsters' Kyle Booker on game night
Mississippi Mud Monsters' Kyle Booker on game night
(Mississippi Mud Monsters)

FLORENCE, Ky. - Despite a four-hit day from Kyle Booker, the Mississippi Mud Monsters (25-34) offense could not find success until it was too late, resulting in a 6-3 series-clinching victory for the Florence Y'alls (30-28).

Since beginning his 2026 campaign after being activated off the Visa Inactive List, Sergio Sanchez has logged a team-best 0.77 ERA in 11.2 innings pitched. His first start since 2023 came in the July 4 nightcap of the doubleheader against the Y'alls at Trustmark Park.

Holding Florence batters to one hit and one unearned run in that first start of the year, the San Cristobal, Dominican Republic native took to the mound at Thomas More Stadium looking to post another dominant outing.

Unlike Friday night's opener, the Mud Monsters started from behind after Brett Blomquist reached on a one-out single and Hank Zeisler connected on the first offering he saw from Sanchez for a two-run home run to put the Y'alls up 2-0.

Florence added to its advantage in the second inning when Tyler Shaneyfelt led things off with a walk and stole second base.

After Sanchez picked up a flyout for the first out of the frame, the right-hander issued his second walk of the inning to Kyle Harbison.

Shaneyfelt then swiped third to come within 90 feet of scoring and crossed the plate to make it 3-0 Florence after Blomquist reached on a slow grounder to shortstop Joshua Shelly.

Sanchez picked up a strikeout of Zeisler, but catcher Victor Diaz could not hold onto the pitch, resulting in Zeisler reaching on a dropped third strike to extend the inning.

Garrett Broussard followed with a two-run double to score Harbison and Blomquist, making it a 5-0 Florence lead.

After Florence's first two scoring innings, Sanchez settled in, tossing the next three frames scoreless while striking out the side in the bottom of the fourth on his way to eight strikeouts.

Sanchez's final line included five innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out eight.

Jackson Smith took the ball from Sanchez out of the Mud Monsters bullpen for the bottom of the sixth inning, tossing a scoreless frame to get the game to the seventh.

With only two hits to this point off Y'alls starter Evan Webster, both coming off the bat of Booker, Mississippi's fortune turned as Florence brought reliever Max Whitesell into the game.

With one away, Travis Holt drew a walk, and Booker singled for his third hit of the day to put two Mississippi baserunners aboard.

One batter later with two outs, Whitesell uncorked back-to-back wild pitches. The first came after issuing a full-count walk to Shelly, and the second came to open Slater Schield's at-bat, allowing Holt to cross with Mississippi's first run.

Smith followed his scoreless sixth inning with more of the same in the seventh and remained on the hill for the bottom of the eighth.

After retiring the first two Florence batters to come to the plate, Zeisler went opposite field for his second home run of the game, a solo blast that cleared the left-center field fence to increase the deficit to 6-1.

Down to their final three outs with Logan Jones entering the game for Florence in the top of the ninth, Holt reached with a single to begin things before Booker smashed a two-run home run for his fourth hit of the day and his sixth big fly of the season to cut Florence's lead in half at 6-3.

Jones recorded the first out of the inning before Shelly followed with a one-out double to reach scoring position, resulting in Florence manager Toby Hall opting to bring in Aiden McEvoy for a second straight night.

McEvoy picked up the final two outs to shut the door on the Mud Monsters' comeback and secure the series win with a 6-3 final.

The Mud Monsters conclude their three-game series against the Y'alls Sunday afternoon. Southpaw John Walsh (1-0, 3.60) gets the start for Mississippi, while Florence counters with right-hander Nathan Lawson (2-1, 6.75). First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET (12:05 p.m. CT).

Check out the Mississippi Mud Monsters Statistics

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Mississippi Mud Monsters' Kyle Booker on game night
Mississippi Mud Monsters' Kyle Booker on game night
   



Frontier League Stories from July 18, 2026


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