Two-Out Hitting, Complementary Pitching Lift Mud Monsters over ThunderBolts
FL Mississippi Mud Monsters

Two-Out Hitting, Complementary Pitching Lift Mud Monsters over ThunderBolts

Published on May 20, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Mississippi Mud Monsters News Release


CRESTWOOD, Ill. (May 20, 2026)- For the first time this season, the Mississippi Mud Monsters (6-5) have won back-to-back games, securing a 5-3 victory and series win over the Windy City ThunderBolts (7-5).

It was an all-around effort by the Mud Monsters after a two-out first inning rally spawned the game's opening run.

Travis Holt and Jack Holman both singled to put two aboard before Kasten Furr was plunked to load the bases. A bases-loaded walk to AJ Fritz allowed Holt to score and make it 1-0.

Art Joven, the left-hander from Bakersfield, California, got the start for Mississippi, making his third appearance of the year, and Windy City answered immediately.

Joven recorded the first out after leadoff man James Dunlap grounded out to Slater Schield at shortstop, but a walk to Daryl Ruiz was followed by a stolen base and a balk that moved him to third.

Joven recorded the second out on a lineout by the next ThunderBolts batter to keep Ruiz at third, but another walk, this one to Victor Cerny, put runners on the corners for Jared Beebe, who delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1 and move Cerny to second.

Mississippi's lefty then struck out the next batter swinging to end the inning for his first strikeout on the way to three on the afternoon.

After a quiet top of the second, Windy City's next offensive chance began with a leadoff single by Oscar Serratos. Joven retired the next batter for the inning's first out before recording the second on a lineout to Schield.

Mississippi's shortstop fired back to first trying to double off Serratos, but the throw sailed wide and pushed the Windy City runner to second. Serratos then attempted to take third, but Semo's throw on the caught stealing attempt sailed into left field and allowed the ThunderBolts to take a 2-1 lead.

In the top of the third, the Mud Monsters once again put on their rally caps as a two-out double by Jack Holman triggered an RBI single by Furr to score Holman and knot the game at 2-2.

Mississippi reclaimed the lead in the fourth after consecutive one-out walks by Windy City starter Ethan Smith put Semo and Schield aboard for Brayland Skinner.

Skinner drilled a 1-1 offering off the right-field fence for an RBI double that scored Semo and left runners at second and third for Kyle Booker.

Booker then lifted a fly ball deep enough for Schield to tag and score, giving the Mud Monsters a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.

Joven twirled a 1-2-3 bottom half of the inning and, after Mississippi went scoreless in the top of the fifth, Windy City came to bat trailing 4-2.

Robbie Ayers led off the inning with a single before a wild pitch during Josue Urdaneta's at-bat moved him to second. Joven struck out Urdaneta for the inning's first out before a Dunlap single put runners on the corners for Ruiz, whose sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 4-3.

Manager Jay Pecci then turned to Seth McCartney out of the Mississippi bullpen. Joven finished his outing after 4.2 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits while walking three and striking out three.

McCartney recorded the inning's final out before returning for the sixth and escaping a jam after allowing back-to-back one-out singles to Beebe and Carlos Pena. The right-hander from

Brandon, Mississippi, induced a 6-4-3 double play turned by Schield, Furr, and Holman to preserve the lead and give Mississippi a chance to add insurance in the seventh.

Booker, still searching for a hit to extend his multi-season hitting streak, doubled to lead off the inning. After Holt popped out for out number one and Holman lifted a sacrifice fly to move Booker to third, Furr delivered his second two-out RBI hit of the day to score Booker and extend the Mud Monsters lead to 5-3.

Connor Langrell covered the next two innings for Mississippi and tossed a pair of scoreless frames while striking out one and allowing just one hit.

Chris Barraza entered for the save opportunity in the bottom of the ninth. In his second appearance of the series, the right-hander faced four batters, striking out the side and walking one to lock down the series victory.

The Mud Monsters will now look for a series sweep in game three tomorrow morning with first pitch scheduled for 10:35 a.m. CT. Right-hander Hunter Belton (0-0, 2.25) gets the start for Mississippi while Windy City counters with left-hander Kevin Figueredo (1-1, 6.30).

Check out the Mississippi Mud Monsters Statistics

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