Mussels Storm Back in Ninth to Secure Split After Lengthy Rain Delay
FSL Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Mussels Storm Back in Ninth to Secure Split After Lengthy Rain Delay

Published on May 17, 2026 under Florida State League (FSL)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


BRADENTON, Fla. - The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels rallied in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the Bradenton Marauders by a final score of 9-2 on Sunday from LECOM Park.

Trailing 2-1 in the ninth facing Noah Takacs (1-4), JP Smith II smoked a single to put the tying run on base. Jayson Bass pinch ran for him.

The next batter was Ramiro Dominguez, who singled to center but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. After Ryan Sprock walked, Irvin Nunez singled to left field to score Bass and tie the game.

Batting with the bases loaded, Bryan Acuna singled into left field to score Sprock to give the Mussels the lead back. Harry Genth walked to drive in Nunez. Following a pitching change, Dameury Pena kept the line moving with an RBI single to score Quentin Young.

Two batters later, Bass punctuated the inning with a grand slam. Bass, who entered the game as a pinch runner earlier in the inning, drove his fourth blast of the season 397 feet to give the Mussels a 9-2 advantage.

The Mighty Mussels (22-17) sent 11 hitters to the plate, scoring eight runs in the top of the ninth inning to win the game and secure the series split. It is the seventh time this season that the Mussels have scored 6+ runs in an inning.

Quinn McDaniel continued to torch Bradenton (21-18) pitching on Sunday. With two hits, including an RBI double to open the scoring in the second, his average is now up to .538 in six games with the Mussels.

Fort Myers sent Justin Mitrovich to the mound to make his third start of the season. Over two innings, Mitrovich dazzled Marauder hitters, striking out five and facing the minimum. He left the game with a 1-0 lead.

Jonathan Stevens took over for Mitrovich in the third. Stevens allowed a leadoff single to Richard Ramirez, who scored on an RBI single from Johan De Los Santos. After three innings, the score was tied at one.

In the bottom of the fourth, the first two Bradenton hitters reached on singles. Stevens ended up leaving the bases loaded with a key strikeout of Christian Jauregui.

Merit Jones came in in the fifth after two frames from Stevens. Dylan Palmer smoked a first-pitch triple into the left-center field gap to leadoff the inning. Two pitches later, De Los Santos drove him in to give the Marauders their first lead of the day, 2-1.

Jones continued into the bottom of the sixth inning. He worked around a one-out single and walk to strand runners at the corners.

After rain delayed Sunday's game for 1 hour and 46 minutes, play resumed in Bradenton.

Xavier Kolhosser (2-0) relieved Jones in the seventh after the delay. Kolhosser worked two hitless innings to send the game to the ninth inning tied at two.

Following the Mussels seven-run ninth inning, Kolhosser worked around two walks to seal the win.

The Mighty Mussels continue their road trip in Dunedin against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, May 19. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

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Florida State League Stories from May 17, 2026


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