Diaz, Holt Go Deep; Slammers Take Series
FL Mississippi Mud Monsters

Diaz, Holt Go Deep; Slammers Take Series

Published on July 9, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Mississippi Mud Monsters News Release


Mississippi Mud Monsters infielder Travis Holt
Mississippi Mud Monsters infielder Travis Holt
(Mississippi Mud Monsters)

JOLIET, Ill. - Despite two solo big flies from Travis Holt and Victor Diaz, the Mississippi Mud Monsters (23-31) could not overcome the Joliet Slammers (23-29) offense, dropping the game as well as the series with an 8-3 final.

Looking to win their third straight series, Mississippi sent right-hander Brian Williams to the mound.

The right-hander from Texas made one previous start against Joliet at Trustmark Park and was handed the loss after giving up four runs on seven hits in five innings on June 10.

Things got off to a rocky start as Joliet scored first for the second consecutive day.

Back-to-back infield singles started things off before a fielder's choice on a groundball by Blake Berry loaded the bases full of Slammers.

Two run-scoring fielder's choices followed by Jackson Valera and Cam Suto gave Joliet the early 2-0 advantage in the first.

The Mud Monsters, through their first two offensive chances, were retired in order by Joliet starter Ryan Daly while the Slammers offense doubled its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second.

Tyler Cerny led things off with a double and after a walk to Kadon Morton put two men on, Brandon Heidal dropped a sacrifice bunt on a 2-2 count to move both runners into scoring position.

Ian Battipaglia followed with a two-run single to score both Cerny and Morton to put Joliet up 4-0.

In the top of the third inning, Mississippi's bats were able to pick up their first hits of the game with back-to-back base hits by Diaz and Slater Schield, but Mississippi was held at bay.

Joliet once again found success in the bottom of the third inning, loading the bases after Williams served up a one-out double to Jackson Beaman and two free passes were issued.

The right-hander Houdinied his way out of the situation, striking out Heidal for the second out and picking up a flyout for the last out.

With the third frame being the inning for Mississippi to remove the "0" in the hit column, the fourth saw the Mud Monsters bring their first run across.

Holt, leading off the inning, smashed a towering drive into left field off Daly for a solo home run, his third of the year, to cut the deficit to three with a 4-1 score.

Things held as Mississippi was sat down in order in the top of the fifth inning, but Joliet answered with a solo home run of its own in the home half of the frame after Suto went deep to push the Slammers back out to a four-run lead at 5-1.

Joliet tacked on another run in the sixth inning after Williams allowed a one-out walk to Battipaglia and Berry drove him in with a two-out RBI double to increase Joliet's lead to 6-1.

Braden Forsyth entered in relief, completing the day for Williams, who ended up going 5.2 innings allowing six runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking four batters.

Forsyth immediately struck out the first batter he faced to give the Mud Monsters lumber a chance to respond.

They did so against Joliet reliever Marcus Morgan after Josh Shelly singled to begin things and Diaz put both men in scoring position with a double for his second hit of the day.

The next batter, Brayland Skinner, grounded out back to Morgan who only had the play at first to allow the second Mud Monsters run to cross, making it a 6-2 ballgame.

Forsyth remained on the hill and tossed a scoreless seventh inning, picking up a second strikeout to hold the score, and manager Jay Pecci turned to southpaw Gage Bihm in the eighth.

After being silenced in the seventh, Joliet would bring home its final two runs against Bihm.

Back-to-back walks to Heidal and Battipaglia started things off.

A groundout by Berry pushed both men into scoring position before a passed ball that Diaz could not catch allowed the first run to score.

Battipaglia advanced to third on the same play and came in to score on an RBI single by Valera to put Joliet up by six with an 8-2 lead.

Mississippi picked up one more run in the top of the ninth after Diaz went opposite field on a pitch from Joliet's Casey O'Dell for his first home run of the year, a solo shot to make it an 8-3 score.

The homer was the third hit of the day for the Mud Monsters catcher.

O'Dell regrouped and got the final out of the inning, ending the game and series in favor of the Slammers.

The Mud Monsters continue their six-game road trip in Illinois with a three-game set in Crestwood against the Windy City ThunderBolts. Southpaw Art Joven (5-2, 4.76) is slated to start for Mississippi. Windy City will throw right-hander Tyler Biddinger (1-0, 1.64). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CT.

Check out the Mississippi Mud Monsters Statistics

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Mississippi Mud Monsters infielder Travis Holt
Mississippi Mud Monsters infielder Travis Holt
   



Frontier League Stories from July 9, 2026


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