Mud Monsters Break Through Early Deficit, Topple Slammers, 8-4
FL Mississippi Mud Monsters

Mud Monsters Break Through Early Deficit, Topple Slammers, 8-4

Published on June 12, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Mississippi Mud Monsters News Release


Mississippi Mud Monsters' Andrew Semo at bat
Mississippi Mud Monsters' Andrew Semo at bat
(Mississippi Mud Monsters)

PEARL, MS - The Mississippi Mud Monsters (12-19) offense woke up Friday evening, scoring in three straight innings to defeat the Joliet Slammers (12-18) by a score of 8-4.

Following a three spot in the first, the Mud Monsters found themselves playing from behind for the seventh consecutive game and fourth straight against the Slammers.

Jackson Smith got the start for Mississippi. A leadoff single by Ian Battipaglia began the outing and after moving to third, an error at first base allowed a Jackson Valera groundball to bring home the first run.

A single by the next batter was met with back-to-back RBI singles to leave the Mud Monsters trailing 3-0 as the first half inning came to a close.

This time around however, the Mud Monsters answered right away when Kasten Furr walked and Brayland Skinner reached on a fielder's choice.

Furr was out at second on the play but with Skinner reaching first, Kyle Booker brought him in on an RBI triple to make it 3-1.

The score remained unchanged for two full innings until the Mud Monsters broke through in the fourth.

Skinner led off the frame with a single, swiped second and came in on Booker's double to make it a one-run game.

Travis Holt followed with a sac fly to move Booker over to third and Andrew Semo reached on a fielder's choice that held Booker.

Still with one out, Jake Zitella, who signed with the Mud Monsters earlier today, crushed a flyball into left-center field to allow Booker to tag and tie the game 3-3.

Mud Monsters pitching was on lockdown mode the rest of the way as Jackson Smith's only mistake was in the first frame.

The Raymond, Mississippi native tossed five scoreless innings following the three-run first to finish with his first quality start and longest outing of the year. Smith went six innings allowing the three runs on six hits, walking one and picking up five strikeouts.

After the game-tying fourth, the Mud Monsters plated four in the fifth to take the lead and never looked back.

One out singles by Slater Schield and Furr were followed by an RBI single by Skinner to bring home the go-ahead run at 4-3 Mississippi.

Booker walked to load the bases, and Holt followed with a run-scoring infield hit for the first insurance run to go up by two.

Andrew Semo reached on a fielder's choice that saw Holt eliminated trying to stretch to second, but another run came in for the Mud Monsters to go up 6-3.

Joliet manager Mike Pinto brought in another lefty in Jack Potteiger to relieve the starter Gunnar Kines.

Before Potteiger threw a pitch to Jake Zitella, he tried to pick off Andrew Semo and the throw ended up sailing away from the first baseman, Valera.

Booker scored easily on the errant pickoff attempt, and the score jumped to 7-3, completing the four-run fifth.

The Mud Monsters tacked on one more in the sixth. to make it four straight run-scoring frames after Vantrel Reed singled and moved around the bases after stealing second and moving to third on a wild pitch by Joliet's Carlos Soto.

Tevis Payne II lifted a fly ball to score Reed for the eighth and final Mississippi run.

Joliet got a run back in the top of the seventh as southpaw Gage Bihm entered out of the bullpen for his fifth game of the year.

Bihm allowed the first two men to reach before Blake Berry singled in a run to cut the lead to 8-4.

Clutch defense in the seventh and eighth saw the Mud Monsters turn two double plays to pick up the first two outs in each inning.

The first one in the seventh was around the horn 5-6-3 going Holt-Reed-Zitella with Bihm on the mound to only allow the single run to score. Zitella finished the job with a nice pick to secure the twin killing

The second was a 6-4-3 in the eighth going Schield-Reed-Zitella with Connor Langrell who took the hill after Bihm, tossing a scoreless inning.

Chris Barraza entered for the ninth and picked up the first out on a flyout before back-to-back strikeouts put a bow on the game four victory.

Mississippi and Joliet each won two games through the first four games in the six-game series.

The Mud Monsters continue their series against the Slammers tomorrow evening. Southpaw and former Jackson State University star Eric Elliott (0-0, 0.00) makes his first professional start for Mississippi while Joliet starts right-hander Ryan Daly (3-1, 4.73). First pitch is scheduled for 6:01 p.m. CT.

It is Swamp Ass Saturday presented by Southern Beverage. Fans will have the opportunity to bid on Swamp Ass Player Worn Shorts in an auction presented by Budweiser. There will be a Swamp Ass Seat Cushion Giveaway to the first 1,000 fans presented by Budweiser. Additionally, there will be Kids Run the Bases post-game.

Check out the Mississippi Mud Monsters Statistics

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Mississippi Mud Monsters' Andrew Semo at bat
Mississippi Mud Monsters' Andrew Semo at bat
   



Frontier League Stories from June 12, 2026


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