Pierce Collects Four Hits in Series Finale Defeat
July 3, 2025 - Frontier League (FL)
Evansville Otters News Release
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The Evansville Otters (21-26) dropped the homestand finale in heartbreaking fashion to the Mississippi Mud Monsters (23-25), falling just short, 7-6.
Pavin Parks made his third start of the season for Evansville. He pitched into the third inning, allowing five runs. But the Otters had fight as the middle innings approached.
The Otters got on the board in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly from Logan Brown to score JT Benson. They added another run in the fifth with a Dennis Pierce solo home run to center.
Ryan Wiltse followed Parks in the third and pitched through five excellent innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out eight through his first five innings.
JT Benson struck for his eighth home run in the seventh, cutting the Mississippi lead to 5-3.
Wiltse worked into the eighth inning, but the Mud Monsters finally started to figure him out. He allowed two runs to score to extend Mississippi's lead to 7-3 before Nolan Thebiay finished off the eighth with a strikeout.
The Otters didn't lie down quietly though. They sent nine to the plate and scored three in the eighth. L. Brown reached with his third hit of the game followed by a Parks Bouck walk. JJ Cruz singled to score Brown to open the inning's scoring. After Pierce singled for his fourth hit of the night and loaded the bases, Graham Brown hit a sacrifice fly to score Bouck and advance both runners forward. David Mendham walked and Benson walked in a runner to cut the score to 7-6.
After Thebiay got an out but allowed two baserunners, Alex Valdez came in and induced an inning ending double play to send the game to the home half of the ninth.
The Otters couldn't manage a run in the ninth however and fell 7-6.
Evansville travels to Schaumburg to take on the Boomers on Independence Day to kick off the weekend set. After an off-day Monday, they travel to Washington to take on the division leading Wild Things.
All games can be heard on 96.9 WYIR and the Otters Digital Network and can be viewed live on the HomeTeam Network.
The Evansville Otters are the 2006 and 2016 Frontier League champions.
The Otters play all home games at historic Bosse Field, located at 23 Don Mattingly Way in Evansville, Ind. Stay up to date with the Evansville Otters by visiting evansvilleotters.com, or follow the Otters on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more information, visit evansvilleotters.com or call (812) 435-8686.
Frontier League Stories from July 3, 2025
- Boomers Drop Highest Scoring Game in League History - Schaumburg Boomers
- Florence Outlasts Schaumburg in Record Breaker - Florence Y'alls
- Pierce Collects Four Hits in Series Finale Defeat - Evansville Otters
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- Grizzlies Come Back Yet Again, Sweep Washington - Gateway Grizzlies
- Caufield Collects Five Hits in Finale Loss - Washington Wild Things
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- Red, White, and Broom: Crushers Slam Door on Sweep - Lake Erie Crushers
- Crushers Sell out July 3rd Red, White, and Boom Game - Lake Erie Crushers
- SMTTT Night to Feature First-Ever Bobblehead in Mud Monsters History - Mississippi Mud Monsters
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