Mud Monsters Prevail In Pitchers' Duel

Published on August 7, 2025 under Frontier League (FL)
Mississippi Mud Monsters News Release

Sauget, IL - The Mud Monsters (36-37) evened up their series against the Gateway Grizzlies (44-29) with a 2-1 win on Wednesday night. Jackson Smith didn't get credited with the win, but his performance in his first start of the season was brilliant. The offense came up clutch backed the bullpen in a full team win.

Smith, a Pearl native, was assigned to start a very important game for the Mud Monsters as they needed to even up the series against second-place Gateway. The right-hander has been near perfect out of the bullpen, pitching on many different occasions in whatever inning he asked to pitch.

The offense struggled against Gage Vailes, who gave up eight hits across seven and a third innings. They did manage two runs against the right hander handing him his second loss of the year in 15 games. A combination of Smith, Braden Forsyth, Gage Bihm, and Sergio Sanchez outdueled the Grizzlies staff giving up the lone run for Gateway in the eighth inning.

Not much occurred over the first seven innings with both teams averaging a baserunner per inning but not being able to do anything with the runners. In the eighth, Ryan Cash (2-for-4) led off the inning with a double to center field. Kyle Booker (2-for-4) collected his second hit of the day on a single to right field moving Cash to third. Jack Holman (0-for-3) drove home the game's first run with a sacrifice fly to center, just his second RBI as a professional. With Travis Holt (1-for-4) at the plate, Booker stole third. He would score when Holt laced a single to left chasing the starter Vailes from the game.

Sergio Sanchez came on for Bihm in the eighth and walked the bases loaded with one out. Edwin Mateo singled on a groundball to shortstop, but Sanchez escaped the inning by getting a groundball to Holt at second base ending the inning. In the ninth, it was one, two, three for the Mud Monsters closer securing his 12th save and the win for Mississippi. rTomorrow's game starts at 10:45 am CDT from Arsenal BG Ballpark.

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