After getting swept on the road by the Florence Y’alls in their first series after the All-Star break, the Mud Monsters returned home to Trustmark Park Tuesday evening.

Having not lost a series opener at home this year, Mississippi looked to continue that trend with Williams taking the mound. Through five starts at home entering the matchup, Williams had compiled a 4.25 ERA.

Pitching against the Otters for the second time this season, the right-hander out of Texas got off to a great and efficient start, tossing a 1-2-3 first inning with back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame.

In Mississippi’s first offensive opportunity, the bats threatened with two outs after Karell Paz extended his hitting streak to four games with a single before AJ Fritz followed with a walk to put two men on, but the Mud Monsters were unable to plate a run.

Mississippi responded immediately in the home half of the inning with rookie shortstop Joshua Shelly leading off the inning with his first hit at home, a double off the base of the wall in left field.

Schield drew a free pass to put two Mud Monsters on base for Brayland Skinner, who grounded a ball that Evansville attempted to turn into a double play. With Skinner blazing down the baseline, the Otters were only able to get the force out at second.

Now with one out and runners on the corners, Kyle Booker grounded a ball to second baseman Amani Jones, who attempted to turn a double play but threw high to Salvaggio covering first, allowing everyone to reach safely as Shelly scored the tying run.

The lead would not hold for long as Evansville answered in the eighth after Ponder reached on an error when Travis Holt attempted a barehanded play on a bunt. The throw sailed wide of first, allowing Ponder to advance into scoring position.

After Williams recorded his sixth strikeout of the day, manager Jay Pecci emerged from the Mud Monsters dugout and called on Chris Barraza to relieve the right-handed starter.

The book was not yet closed on Williams as Barraza entered, and Ponder came around to score the tying run after Logan Brown delivered an RBI single.

Barraza recorded the final out of the inning, completing Williams’ line at 7.2 innings pitched, allowing two unearned runs on three hits while walking none and striking out six.

Chris Barraza remained on the mound in the ninth. The first batter, Linscott, grounded a slow ball to second that Schield tried to flip to first, but with nobody covering the bag, the throw rolled into foul territory and sent Linscott to second.

Barraza stranded Linscott through the first two outs, striking out Pierce before getting Black to pop out on the infield.

Then, with Linscott at second, Bridges stepped to the plate in his hometown ballpark.

Barraza worked within one strike of the victory before Bridges lined a ball the opposite way into left field toward Booker.

With Linscott rounding third, Booker charged the ball and fired a strike to Victor Diaz at home plate.

Diaz held on to the throw and applied the tag to Linscott, ending the game in dramatic fashion as Mississippi secured the 3-2 victory.