Pecci Reaches 100 Wins as Mud Monsters Bring Sudden Death Upon Gateway
PEARL, Miss. (June 30, 2026) - Jay Pecci reached 100 managerial wins in dramatic fashion as the Mississippi Mud Monsters (19-27) defeated the Gateway Grizzlies (22-23) in Sudden Death after the clubs finished tied 5-5 through 10 innings.
Monster Notes
Skinner went deep again, Smith delivered a quality start and Sanders closed the door in Sudden Death.
- Jay Pecci earned the 100th managerial victory of his career.
- Brayland Skinner homered for the second straight game and drove in three runs.
- Jackson Smith worked six innings, allowed two runs and struck out five.
- Chris Barraza stranded the bases loaded in the 10th inning to force Sudden Death.
- Brayden Sanders retired Gateway in the Sudden Death frame to secure the win.
Smith Gets the Start
The right-hander opened the series against Gateway.
After pitching two innings in relief against the Gateway Grizzlies during the season-opening series at Trustmark Park, Jackson Smith took the hill for the first time as a starter against the club from Sauget, Illinois.
Brayland Goes Deep Again
The Frontier League Player of the Week stayed hot.
Last week's Frontier League Player of the Week, Brayland Skinner, continued his hot streak by homering in back-to-back games to give Mississippi a 3-0 advantage.
With two outs in the first, Tevis Payne II and Scout Knotts worked back-to-back walks before a wild pitch during Slater Schield's at-bat moved both runners into scoring position. Skinner then unloaded on the first offering he saw from Ty Good, launching a three-run homer just beyond the reach of right fielder Victor Castillo.
Gateway Chips Away
The Grizzlies got single runs in the fourth and sixth.
The score remained 3-0 until Gateway answered with a two-out run in the fourth.
Castillo singled, stole second and scored on an RBI base hit by José Alvarez to trim the deficit to 3-1.
Smith struck out the side in the fifth, and Mississippi maintained its two-run lead until the sixth when, with two outs, Castillo launched his second home run against Smith at Trustmark Park to make it a 3-2 game.
Mississippi Adds On
Semo's sacrifice fly restored a two-run lead.
The Mud Monsters restored their two-run cushion in the bottom half of the inning.
A walk to Travis Holt chased Good from the game before reliever Alec Sparks immediately walked Samil De La Rosa to put two aboard. Kasten Furr grounded out to move both runners into scoring position before Andrew Semo lined a ball the other way to right field, allowing Holt to tag and score for a 4-2 Mississippi lead.
Quality Start for Smith
Smith turned in six strong innings before handing it to the bullpen.
Dallas Woolfolk entered for the seventh, ending Smith's day after the right-hander turned in his second quality start of the season. Smith allowed two runs on six hits across six innings while walking two and striking out five.
Woolfolk retired the first two hitters before Gateway loaded the bases on a single by Cole Brannen, an error that allowed Sawyer Smith to reach and a walk to Dale Thomas.
Bryson Horne followed with a two-run single to knot the game at 4-4.
Mud Monsters Retake the Lead
Payne II worked a bases-loaded walk in the eighth.
Connor Langrell tossed a scoreless eighth after taking over for Woolfolk, keeping the game tied and allowing Mississippi another opportunity offensively.
With one out, Holt singled before De La Rosa was hit by a pitch to put two runners aboard.
Later in the inning, Semo singled to load the bases for Payne II, who worked a five-pitch walk to force home Holt and give Mississippi a 5-4 lead.
Gateway Ties It
The Grizzlies forced extras in the ninth.
Chris Barraza entered looking to record the final three outs.
After striking out the first batter, Barraza allowed a bunt single to Brannen before recording his second strikeout of the inning.
With two outs, Dale Thomas lifted a fly ball into right-center field. Instead of recording the final out, Payne II and Skinner collided, allowing the ball to fall and Brannen to score the tying run at 5-5.
Julio Ortiz retired the Mud Monsters in order in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings.
Extras at Trustmark Park
The 10th inning marked the first extra-inning game at Trustmark Park this season.
The 10th inning marked the first extra-inning game played at Trustmark Park this season.
Barraza remained on the mound with Bryson Horne serving as Gateway's ghost runner at second.
Castillo singled to begin the inning, holding Horne at second. Barraza struck out Alvarez looking before Brennan Orf reached on an error to load the bases.
Barraza responded by striking out Mitchell Sanford and Davie Morgan to strand all three runners and send the game to the bottom of the 10th.
Kyle Booker started as Mississippi's ghost runner and advanced to third, but the Mud Monsters were unable to bring him home, forcing Sudden Death.
Sudden Death in the Swamp
Sanders and Knotts finished it for Mississippi.
Marking the second time Mississippi had played under Sudden Death rules this season after falling 13-13 at Evansville on June 4, the Mud Monsters elected to play defense and turned to Brayden Sanders in the top of the 11th.
Under Frontier League Sudden Death rules, Gateway began the inning with a runner at first and no outs. A run would end the game immediately, while a scoreless inning would give Mississippi the victory.
Davie Morgan began at first and was erased on a fielder's choice that allowed Brannen to reach.
With one out, Sawyer Smith singled before an unassisted groundout to Knotts at first moved both runners into scoring position.
Sanders induced one final ground ball to first, where Knotts stepped on the bag to end the game and secure the Sudden Death victory for Mississippi.
The win marked the 100th managerial victory of Pecci's career. He managed the FCL Mets in 2024 before taking over the Mud Monsters ahead of the club's inaugural 2025 season.
Full Box Score
Mississippi wins 5-5 in Sudden Death - June 30, 2026 at Trustmark Park
Line Score
Gateway Batting
Mississippi Batting
Gateway Pitching
Mississippi Pitching
Box Score Notes
Sudden Death: The game finished tied 5-5 through 10 innings. Under Frontier League Sudden Death rules, Gateway began the 11th with a runner at first and no outs. Mississippi elected to play defense. A scoreless frame gave the Mud Monsters the victory.
Gateway: Castillo homered in the sixth. Horne drove in two runs. Castillo, Alvarez and Brannen each stole a base.
Mississippi: Skinner homered in the second and drove in three. Semo and Payne II each drove in a run. Schield was caught stealing.
Pitching: Good 85 pitches, 40 strikes. Sparks 23 pitches, 16 strikes. Ronne 24 pitches, 14 strikes. Ortiz 14 pitches, 10 strikes. Hickey 10 pitches, 7 strikes. Smith 95 pitches, 62 strikes. Woolfolk 28 pitches, 19 strikes. Langrell 12 pitches, 7 strikes. Barraza 49 pitches, 32 strikes. Death Pitcher A 14 pitches, 11 strikes.
Game information: Trustmark Park - Pearl, Mississippi. Tuesday, June 30, 2026. First pitch: 6:31 p.m. Final out: 9:46 p.m. Time of game: 3:15. Attendance: 885. Weather: 91 degrees. Wind: 4 mph NE. Official scorer: Keith Head.
Up Next
The Mud Monsters continue their three-game series against the Grizzlies Wednesday morning. The game is SWAMP SPLASH DAY as part of Youth & Senior Day, featuring water activities throughout the afternoon. It is also What's on a Stick Wednesday with the weekly meat challenge.
First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT, with gates opening at 10:00 a.m. CT. Mississippi has yet to announce a probable starter, while Gateway will send right-hander Ben Gregory (0-0, 5.28) to the mound.
About the Mississippi Mud Monsters
Baseball Lives Here. It Just Got a Little Weirder.
The Mississippi Mud Monsters are a professional baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, competing in the Frontier League. Built in the mud and rooted in Mississippi, the Mud Monsters believe baseball should be unapologetically fun, a little weird, wildly welcoming, and deeply tied to the place it calls home. Real baseball. Real people. This is swamp-built, Mississippi-made baseball, where the vibes matter just as much as the final score.