Otters Rally Back, Down Mud Monsters 10-8
Published on June 3, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Mississippi Mud Monsters News Release
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The Mississippi Mud Monsters (9-13) opened a three-game series against the Evansville Otters (14-7) on Tuesday night, but a late Evansville comeback turned a six-run Mississippi lead into a 10-8 defeat.
Coming off a quality start in his last appearance, Hunter Belton took the mound for Mississippi looking to open the road trip on the right foot. The Arkansas native entered having allowed no more than one earned run in each of his first three starts with the Mud Monsters.
Belton received early run support as Mississippi's offense stayed hot following Saturday's 15-run outburst. In the third inning, Tevis Payne II worked a leadoff walk and Brayland Skinner followed with a double to put runners at first and third. Kyle Booker then grounded out to first base, allowing Payne II to score the game's first run.
However, Evansville answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning to knot the game at 1-1.
The Mud Monsters broke things open with a six-run fourth inning as Samil De La Rosa led off the frame with a double and was lifted for pinch-runner Vantrel Reed.
Kasten Furr laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Reed to third, and Reed later scored when Slater Schield reached on a dropped third strike.
Jackson Nicklaus followed with a walk and Peter Bocchino drove in a run to make it 3-1. Payne II then singled to load the bases before Skinner drew a bases-loaded walk to force home another run.
Booker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in Mississippi's fifth run of the inning, and Travis Holt capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to push the Mud Monsters lead to 7-1.
The Otters began chipping away at the Mud Monsters lead in the fifth. After a leadoff walk, Marcos Gonzalez launched a two-run home run to cut the deficit to 7-3. Later in the inning, TJ Salvaggio added a sacrifice fly to make it 7-4.
Mississippi regained a three-run cushion in the sixth when Payne II brought home a run on a fielder's choice, making it 8-5.
Evansville's comeback continued in the bottom of the sixth.
Gonzalez opened the inning with his second home run of the night before Connor Langrell entered in relief of Belton. After a single, followed by a hit batter and another single to load the bases, Jon Ponder delivered an RBI single to bring Evansville within one.
Amani Jones tied the game with an RBI fielder's choice before Logan Brown lined a two-run single into right field to give the Otters their first lead of the night at 9-7.
Evansville added another run in the seventh and carried a 10-7 lead into the eighth.
The Mud Monsters picked up one final run when Holt drove in a run on a groundout after a walk, and an error put runners on the corners to trim the deficit to 10-8.
Dusty Baird tossed a scoreless eighth inning, but Evansville reliever Junior Cerda retired Mississippi in order in the ninth to secure the comeback victory for the Otters.
The Mud Monsters continue their three-game set against Evansville on Wednesday morning. First pitch is scheduled for 11:55 a.m. CT. Jackson Smith (1-0, 6.00) will make his third start of the season for Mississippi while Evansville counters with fellow right-hander Ryan Wiltse (0-1, 3.94).
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