Blue Ballers Anything but Blue as Mississippi Completes 5-4 Comeback Over Washington
PEARL, Miss. (Aug. 13, 2026) - The Mississippi Mud Monsters (31-49) completed a 5-4 comeback victory for their first win against the Washington Wild Things (55-26) this season Thursday evening.
Monster Notes
The Blue Ballers erased an early three-run deficit and held on late.
- Karell Paz doubled home a run and helped spark a three-run second inning.
- Brayland Skinner tripled to lead off the fifth and scored the tying run.
- Kyle Booker had two hits, including a seventh-inning ground-rule double, and scored the go-ahead run.
- AJ Fritz drove in the deciding run with a seventh-inning RBI single.
- Connor Langrell tossed three scoreless innings in relief to secure the win.
Blue Ballers Take the Field
Mississippi played under a new alias for Prostate & Testicular Cancer Awareness Night.
Jackson Smith took the mound as Mississippi took the field under a new alias, the Blue Ballers.
Wearing powder blue jerseys in honor of Prostate & Testicular Cancer Awareness Night, Smith toed the rubber for his first start since taking the mound in the finale at Lake Erie last Thursday that was ultimately cancelled due to rain.
This time around, the right-hander began his evening needing only six pitches to retire the Wild Things in order in the first.
The Blue Ballers were also held scoreless by Washington starter Kenten Egbert in their first offensive opportunity as the game remained scoreless through the opening frame.
Washington Strikes First
The Wild Things scored three times in the second inning.
Washington found its first offensive success against Smith in the top of the second in the form of back-to-back singles by Andrew Czech and Anthony Brocato.
Cole Fowler followed with an RBI single to score Czech and open the scoring with a 1-0 Washington lead.
On the same play, Brocato was thrown out attempting to go first to third for out number one.
The next batter, Wagner Lagrange, grounded out to shortstop for the second out, but with one runner aboard, Caleb Ketchup blasted a two-run home run over the left-field wall to extend the Wild Things lead to 3-0.
Blue Ballers Answer
Mississippi scored three in the bottom of the second.
Mississippi answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning after Amani Larry became the first Blue Ballers baserunner of the evening with a one-out walk.
Travis Holt followed with Mississippi’s first hit as Larry advanced to third.
The next batter, Karell Paz, doubled down the right-field line to score Larry. With Holt moving to third, the throw from the outfield came in wild, allowing Holt to cross as well and make it a one-run game at 3-2.
Paz reached third safely on the play before Victor Diaz reached on an error after grounding a ball to short that first baseman Czech could not come up with, allowing Paz to cross as the tying run and make it 3-3.
Wild Things Retake the Lead
Washington moved back in front in the third inning.
Washington struck again in the top of the third after Billy Sullivan and Kyle Edwards singled to begin the inning.
A walk to Antonio Monroy followed to load the bases before Czech grounded a ball that the Blue Ballers attempted to turn two on. Mississippi was only able to record the force on Monroy at second while Sullivan crossed to put Washington back in front, 4-3.
Both Smith and Egbert posted scoreless fourth innings to preserve the one-run Wild Things advantage.
Skinner and Booker Tie It
The Blue Ballers pulled even in the fifth.
In the home half of the fifth, the Blue Ballers formulated an offensive answer when Brayland Skinner led off with a first-pitch swinging triple to put the tying run 90 feet away.
Kyle Booker followed by knocking an RBI single to score Skinner and knot the game at 4-4.
Langrell Escapes Traffic
An unconventional double play preserved the tie.
After posting a scoreless top of the sixth, Smith continued his outing into the seventh before issuing a leadoff walk to Ryan Ford.
Manager Jay Pecci turned to Connor Langrell out of the bullpen with the right-hander inheriting Smith’s baserunner.
The first batter Langrell faced, Sullivan, bunted for a base hit before Edwards dropped a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position.
With one out, Monroy grounded a ball to Amani Larry, who threw home and caught Ford in a rundown.
Ford initially made it back to third safely, where Sullivan had also advanced. Sullivan was tagged for the second out before Ford briefly came off the bag and was tagged as well, completing an unconventional inning-ending double play to preserve the 4-4 tie.
Smith’s evening came to an end after six-plus innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out three.
Fritter Puts Them in Front
Booker doubled, stole third and scored the go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the seventh, Booker picked up his second hit of the evening, going the opposite way and sending a ball deep that one-hopped the wall for a ground-rule double.
With one out, Booker stole third before AJ Fritz singled to drive home the go-ahead run and give the Blue Ballers their first lead of the evening at 5-4.
Langrell Locks It Down
The right-hander finished three scoreless innings.
Langrell remained on the mound in the top of the eighth and ran into traffic after Czech drew a walk and Brocato singled.
Czech advanced to third to put runners on the corners before Langrell struck out Fowler for the first out.
The next batter, Lagrange, grounded into a timely double play to end the inning and preserve Mississippi’s one-run advantage.
After the Blue Ballers were held scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, Langrell remained on the mound searching for the final three outs to secure Mississippi’s first win over Washington this season.
The right-hander retired the Wild Things in order, completing three scoreless innings of relief and securing the 5-4 comeback victory for the Blue Ballers.
Full Box Score
Mississippi 5, Washington 4 - Aug. 13, 2026 at Trustmark Park
Line Score
Mississippi Batting
Washington Batting
Mississippi Pitching
Washington Pitching
Box Score Notes
Mississippi extra-base hits: Paz doubled in the second. Booker doubled in the seventh. Skinner tripled in the fifth.
Washington home run: Ketchup hit a two-run home run in the second inning off Smith.
RBIs: Mississippi - Booker, Fritz, Paz 2, Diaz. Washington - Czech, Fowler, Ketchup 2.
Defense: Mississippi turned two double plays and played errorless defense. Washington turned one double play and committed three errors.
Base running: Booker stole two bases for Mississippi. Fritz and Paz also stole bases. Edwards recorded a sacrifice hit for Washington.
Pitching: Egbert 86 pitches, 51 strikes. O’Hanlon 33 pitches, 20 strikes. Anderson 17 pitches, 9 strikes. Smith 86 pitches, 57 strikes. Langrell 31 pitches, 18 strikes.
Game information: Trustmark Park. Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. First pitch: 6:33 p.m. Final out: 9:10 p.m. Time of game: 2:37. Attendance: 1,422. Weather: 94 degrees. Wind: 7 mph SW.
Star Wars Night Friday
On Friday evening, in a galaxy far, far away, the Mud Monsters continue their series against the Washington Wild Things with a special Star Wars Night matchup.
The game features Friday Night Fireworks set to the Star Wars theme, while the Mud Monsters will wear special Star Wars jerseys that will be auctioned off following the game.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. CT. Right-hander Brian Williams (2-7, 6.28) gets the start for Mississippi while Kelvin Perez (5-2, 3.78) starts for Washington.
View Weekly PromotionsAbout 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.