Mud Monsters Claim Series Opener

Published on August 8, 2025 under Frontier League (FL)
Mississippi Mud Monsters News Release

Joliet, IL - The Mud Monsters took a very important first game of their weekend series against the Joliet Slammers (36-40) with a 6-2 win. The bullpen shut down the Slammers while the offense came up with enough to take the first of three between the two teams fighting for third place in the West division. Moving a game and a half ahead of the Slammers, the Mud Monsters can ensure that they head home in third place with another win tomorrow.

In the top of the third, Travis Holt (2-for-5) doubled home Davis Bradshaw (3-for-4) for the first run of the day. Holt brought home his 46th run of the year, which leads the Mud Monsters. An inning later, Nick Hassan (1-for-4) homered for the second time in four games, a two-run homer to extend the lead for Mississippi. It was the third homer of the season for Hassan.

Brian Williams (6-5) earned the win going six innings and giving up one run in the process. For Williams, the ace of the Mud Monsters staff, he moves into a tie into second place with Rodney Theophile for wins, just one behind Luis Dever (7 wins). Williams struggled a little bit with command giving up five hits and walking four batters in the six innings. The four walks was the second highest for the righty this season, one shy of the season high.

Gage Bihm came on to pitch the seventh and struggled. After retiring two of the first three batters on groundballs with the baserunner coming on a walk, Bihm walked the next two batters. The lefty, holding a 3-1 lead, got Antonio Valdez to fly out to right for the third out and escaped the bases loaded jam.

In the eighth, Jack Holman (3-for-4) drove in a run for a third consecutive game this time with a double to make it 4-1 Mississippi. Bihm pitched a second inning in relief and faced no trouble in the bottom of the eighth as the Mud Monsters held a 4-1 lead going to the ninth.

They added two more in the ninth on an error by Joliet third baseman Ian Battipaglia. Carl Brice came on to finish the ballgame and struggled as he walked all three batters he faced. Chris Barraza came on to try and get the save, but more importantly finish the ballgame. The righty recorded outs against his first two batters and then walked in a run, but with the tying run at the plate got a groundball to end the game and earn his fifth save of the year.

The Mud Monsters play Game Two of the series tomorrow at 6:05 CDT from Slammers Stadium in Joliet.

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