One Strike Away; Mud Monsters Fall in Sudden Death Thriller
NA Mississippi Mud Monsters

One Strike Away; Mud Monsters Fall in Sudden Death Thriller

Published on July 31, 2026 under National Association (NA)
Mississippi Mud Monsters News Release


Mississippi Mud Monsters' Brayland Skinner
Mississippi Mud Monsters' Brayland Skinner
(Mississippi Mud Monsters)

PEARL, Miss. - In a hard-fought Game 4 Friday evening, the Mississippi Mud Monsters (28-42) came within one strike of victory before an 11th-inning home run by Kellum Clark sent the Schaumburg Boomers (38-32) to an 11-8 Frontier League Sudden Death victory.

Looking to rebound after late-inning heartbreak in Game 3, the Mud Monsters turned to Raymond, Mississippi, native Jackson Smith for the start.

Smith made his first start of the season in a spot appearance on the road against Schaumburg, tossing three innings while allowing three runs on four hits.

The right-hander entered the night coming off his longest outing of the season after pitching 7.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and earning the win on July 12 against the Windy City ThunderBolts in Crestwood, Illinois.

This time around, Smith issued a leadoff walk before the Mud Monsters turned a clutch around-the-horn double play, going Travis Holt-Vantrel Reed-AJ Fritz, for the first two outs of the game.

Smith worked out of the inning, and in Mississippi's first trip to the plate, Brayland Skinner, entering the night two hits shy of 100 on the season, collected No. 99 with a leadoff single.

Skinner stole second to move into scoring position and tagged to third on a fly ball by Tevis Payne II, but the Mud Monsters were unable to strike first.

Instead, Schaumburg plated the game's first run in the top of the second.

After Kellum Clark led off the inning with a walk and stole second, Will Prater followed with a one-out RBI single to give the Boomers a 1-0 lead.

Alex Calarco added another single to put runners on the corners, but the Mud Monsters turned another timely double play, this one going 6-4-3, Joshua Shelly-Vantrel Reed-AJ Fritz, to end the inning and limit the damage.

In the bottom of the second, Karell Paz lined a single over the second baseman to reach before stealing second.

A groundout moved Paz to third, but for the second consecutive inning, Schaumburg starter Derek Salata escaped the jam, leaving another Mud Monsters runner stranded at third.

Paz picked up his second hit of the night with a one-out double in the bottom of the fourth.

One batter later, with two outs, Jackson, Mississippi, native Trey Bridges dunked a single into left field for his first hit and first RBI as a Mud Monster, tying the game at 1-1.

Mississippi kept the pressure on in the bottom of the fifth.

With one out, Skinner collected his second hit of the night and 100th of the season before a groundout by Kyle Booker moved him into scoring position.

Payne II followed with a full-count RBI single to score Skinner and give Mississippi its first lead at 2-1.

Schaumburg threatened in the top of the sixth after Alec Craig drew a leadoff walk and Cole Turney added a one-out single to put two runners aboard.

Smith then induced a ground ball off the bat of Clark that the Mud Monsters turned into their third double play of the game, preserving the one-run lead.

After Mississippi was retired in order in the bottom of the sixth, Smith returned for the seventh and issued back-to-back full-count walks to Banks Tolley and Prater.

A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position with no outs.

Calarco followed with a groundout to second, scoring Tolley to tie the game while advancing Prater to third.

Christian Fedko then delivered a one-out RBI single to put Schaumburg back in front, 3-2.

Mud Monsters manager Jay Pecci emerged from the dugout to make a move to the bullpen, ending Smith's evening while leaving Fedko as his final inherited runner.

Braden Forsyth recorded the second out on a fly ball to right before walking Craig to put runners on first and second.

Kyle Fitzgerald then singled home Fedko to extend Schaumburg's lead to 4-2. On the throw in from the outfield, both runners advanced into scoring position.

Turney followed with a two-run single to make it 6-2.

After Forsyth issued his second walk of the inning, Pecci called on newly acquired right-hander Julian Minaya for his Mud Monsters debut.

Officially activated earlier in the day, Minaya struck out the first batter he faced to send the game to the seventh-inning stretch.

Mississippi answered in the bottom half of the inning.

Shelly led off with a single before Reed added an infield hit to put two Mud Monsters aboard.

Skinner grounded into a fielder's choice, forcing out Reed but reaching safely while Shelly advanced to third.

Booker followed with an RBI single to score Shelly and cut the deficit to 6-3.

With Skinner at third and Booker now on first, Booker stole second to put both runners in scoring position.

Payne II then legged out an infield single to plate Skinner and make it a two-run game.

Minaya remained on the mound in the eighth and struck out the leadoff hitter for his second consecutive strikeout to begin his Mud Monsters career.

The right-hander from Hempstead, New York, tossed a scoreless inning to send the game to the bottom of the eighth.

Holland Townes entered from the Schaumburg bullpen and retired the Mud Monsters in order.

Minaya continued into the ninth and worked into trouble after loading the bases with two outs.

The newest Mud Monster Houdinied his way out of the jam, sending the game to Mississippi's final opportunity in regulation.

Facing Caleb Riedel, who entered with a save opportunity, Reed led off the bottom of the ninth with a single before Skinner drew a walk.

One batter later, Payne II delivered his third RBI single of the night to score Reed and make it a one-run game.

After Fritz was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Paz grounded out to second, allowing Skinner to score the tying run and force extra innings at 6-6.

In the top of the 10th, Tolley began as the ghost runner for Schaumburg while Dallas Woolfolk took the mound for Mississippi.

A wild pitch moved Tolley to third before Prater lined an RBI double down the right-field line to give Schaumburg a 7-6 lead.

Prater advanced to third on the throw and scored moments later on Calarco's sacrifice fly, making it 8-6.

Woolfolk retired the next two batters, bringing the Mud Monsters to the plate needing two runs to extend the game.

Tom Vincent entered for the bottom of the 10th.

With Slater Schield serving as Mississippi's ghost runner at second after replacing Travis Holt, Bridges singled to put runners on the corners.

Shelly then grounded out to third, allowing Schield to score and cut the deficit to 8-7.

With Bridges at second, Skinner lined his third hit of the night up the middle.

The ball kicked into left field, giving Bridges enough time to score the tying run and knot the game at 8-8.

Unable to push across another run, the game moved to Frontier League Sudden Death.

Brayden Sanders took the mound in the 11th.

Under Frontier League Sudden Death rules, a scoreless top of the inning would have secured an 8-8 victory for Mississippi.

With Smith beginning at first as the Sudden Death runner, Sanders allowed a single to Craig to put two runners aboard.

Fitzgerald then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position.

With one out, Sanders struck out Turney for the second out before Clark stepped to the plate.

Sanders worked the count full after getting within one strike of ending the inning.

Clark drove the payoff pitch off the batter's eye in dead center field for a three-run, game-winning home run, lifting the Boomers to an 11-8 victory.

The Mud Monsters continue their six-game series against the Schaumburg Boomers Saturday evening. The game will feature a Teal Mud Monsters Jersey Giveaway for the first 1,000 fans, presented by Atmos Energy. Gates open at 5:01 p.m. CT, with first pitch scheduled for 6:01 p.m. CT. It will be a battle of right-handers as Brian Williams (2-6, 6.02) gets the start for Mississippi, while Ross Thompson (7-3, 4.54) starts for Schaumburg.

Check out the Mississippi Mud Monsters Statistics

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Mississippi Mud Monsters' Brayland Skinner
Mississippi Mud Monsters' Brayland Skinner
   



National Association Stories from July 31, 2026


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