ThunderBolts Strike; Mud Monsters Strike Last in 9-7 Thriller
FL Mississippi Mud Monsters

ThunderBolts Strike; Mud Monsters Strike Last in 9-7 Thriller

Published on May 19, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Mississippi Mud Monsters News Release


CRESTWOOD, Ill. (May 19, 2026)- A game that completely flipped on its head twice ended with the Mississippi Mud Monsters (5-5) escaping Crestwood with a chaotic 9-7 victory over the Windy City ThunderBolts (7-4).

Brian Williams toed the rubber for his fourth career start against Windy City, entering with a 1-0 record, 2.50 ERA, and 18 strikeouts across three previous starts against the ThunderBolts.

Windy City struck first. The Texas native, making his third start of the year, retired the first two batters he faced before a mistake pitch to Michael Sandle was sent over the left-field wall for a solo home run to make it 1-0.

The score held there until the Mud Monsters broke through in the top of the third. Following a single by Andrew Semo and a walk to Slater Schield, Brayland Skinner drove a ball the other way into left-center field to clear the bases with a triple.

Skinner later scored on a Kyle Booker RBI groundout to give Mississippi a 3-1 advantage at the end of the inning.

An inning later, Jack Holman ripped a solo home run off Windy City starter Tyler Wehrle to extend the Mud Monsters lead to 4-1.

Williams then settled into cruise control and carved through the ThunderBolts lineup from the second through the sixth innings, holding Windy City to just one hit during that stretch.

Booker added two more crucial runs in the top of the seventh while simultaneously extending his hitting streak. The Southaven, Mississippi native lined a single into right field that was booted by ThunderBolts outfielder Carlos Pena, allowing both Kasten Furr and Semo to score and make it 6-1 Mississippi.

A roadblock finally slowed Williams in the bottom half of the inning after Victor Cerny led off with a single, only the third hit of the game for Windy City. Mississippi picked up the inning's first out after a groundout erased Cerny but allowed the batter to reach first safely.

ThunderBolts third baseman Jared Beebe then homered on a one-strike offering to cut the Mud Monsters lead in half at 6-3.

Jackson Smith relieved Williams and recorded the final two outs of the inning to carry Mississippi's lead into the eighth.

After the Mud Monsters were held scoreless in the top half of the inning, Smith remained on the mound for Windy City's half of the eighth. The ThunderBolts found lightning.

Back-to-back singles by Josue Urdaneta and James Dunlap opened the inning before Daryl Ruiz tied the game with one swing, launching a three-run home run to knot the score at 6-6.

Smith responded by recording the next two outs but surrendered a single to Pena, prompting manager Jay Pecci to call upon Chris Barraza out of the bullpen.

Barraza entered and allowed Pena to steal second base before inducing a ground ball to shortstop off the bat of Beebe. The play forced Schield to rush his throw wide of first, allowing Pena to score the go-ahead run and give Windy City a 7-6 lead.

With the game suddenly turned upside down and Mississippi down to its final three outs, the ThunderBolts turned to Noah Manning to close things out. The Windy City closer began the inning by walking both Semo and Schield to put the tying and go-ahead runs aboard.

Then, during Brayland Skinner's at-bat, a surprise back-pick attempt by Cerny caught Semo diving back into second base and colliding violently with ThunderBolts shortstop James Dunlap. Windy City immediately took exception to the play and both benches emptied onto the field. No punches were thrown, but after a lengthy discussion, the umpires ruled Semo out at second base.

Pecci stormed out of the Mississippi dugout to protest the call and was ejected by home plate umpire Caleb Groom.

Now with one away and Schield still aboard at first, Skinner's at-bat resumed and ended with a single to put two runners on for Booker, who was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.

With Travis Holt at the plate, Manning bounced a 1-2 pitch that Cerny blocked. On the very next pitch, Manning buried another ball in the dirt that the ThunderBolts catcher could not corral, allowing Schield to score the tying run and make it 7-7.

Still batting, Holt grounded a ball to Windy City second baseman Urdaneta, who saw Skinner breaking for the plate and fired home. The throw arrived too late to catch Mississippi's speedy leadoff man as the Mud Monsters reclaimed the lead at 8-7.

Mississippi added another insurance run moments later after Jack Holman lined a double into right field to score Booker. Holt attempted to score as well but was tagged out trying to stretch the play.

Holding a 9-7 lead, Barraza returned for the bottom of the ninth and retired the side in order, including striking out Windy City's eighth-inning hero Ruiz swinging to end the game.

The Mud Monsters will now look to make it two wins in a row for the first time this season as left-hander Art Joven (1-0, 5.40) gets the start for Mississippi while right-hander Ethan Smith (0-0, 6.30) takes the ball for Windy City. First pitch is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. CT.

Check out the Mississippi Mud Monsters Statistics

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Frontier League Stories from May 19, 2026


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