Mud Monsters Rally to Tie It, ThunderBolts Pull Away Late in 7-4 Loss
PEARL, Miss. (Aug. 28, 2026) — The Mississippi Mud Monsters (36-57) rallied from three runs down to tie the game with a three-run seventh inning, but the Windy City ThunderBolts (51-43) answered against the Mississippi bullpen late to claim a 7-4 victory and clinch the six-game series Friday night at Trustmark Park.
Monster Notes
Campbell gave Mississippi seven innings. The Mud Monsters erased a three-run deficit. Windy City answered before the comeback could become a win.
- Tyler Campbell worked seven innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on eight hits with six strikeouts.
- Trey Bridges delivered a two-run double in the seventh and later scored the tying run.
- Joshua Shelly tied the game with a seventh-inning sacrifice fly.
- Tevis Payne II collected a hit, walked and drove in Mississippi's fourth run.
- Amani Larry made another highlight-reel defensive play in the middle innings.
- Mississippi stole four bases while Windy City was caught stealing once.
- The Mud Monsters erased a 3-0 deficit before Windy City scored four runs over the final two innings.
Windy City Jumps Ahead
Three first-inning runs put Mississippi in an early hole.
After dropping the first three bouts against the ThunderBolts, the Mud Monsters sent southpaw Tyler Campbell to the mound looking to avoid a loss that would allow Windy City to clinch Mississippi’s final home series of the season.
Liam McArthur led off the game by reaching first on a ground ball that went through shortstop Joshua Shelly’s legs for an error.
Michael Sandle followed by beating the shift with a single into right field to put ThunderBolts on the corners.
After Campbell recorded the first out by striking out Justin Fogel looking, Jared Beebe singled into right-center field to plate the game’s first run and give Windy City a 1-0 advantage.
The next batter, Victor Cerny, delivered a two-run single to push the ThunderBolts’ advantage to 3-0 before Campbell struck out Daryl Ruiz looking for the second out.
Robbie Ayers followed with a flyout to left field to end the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, the Mud Monsters picked up a one-out baserunner after Kyle Booker drew a walk from Windy City starter Tyler Biddinger but were unable to advance him any further.
Campbell Settles In
After the three-run first, the left-hander kept Windy City off the board for six straight innings.
Campbell allowed a one-out single to James Dunlap in the top of the second but posted his first scoreless frame of the evening to hold the deficit at three.
Karell Paz collected Mississippi’s first hit with a one-out single in the bottom of the second, but the Mud Monsters were held off the scoreboard.
Campbell posted another scoreless inning in the top of the third despite issuing a leadoff walk, his first of the evening. The southpaw also collected his fourth strikeout of the game during the frame.
After home plate umpire Jacob Waldrop left the game accompanied by Mud Monsters trainer Marc Osbourne, the start of the bottom of the third was delayed while the umpiring crew sorted things out.
Following the delay, Biddinger retired the first two Mud Monsters before issuing a walk to Shelly.
Despite the baserunner, Mississippi remained scoreless and the game stayed 3-0.
Six Straight Scoreless
Campbell kept giving the offense a chance to come back.
Campbell tossed his first 1-2-3 inning of the evening in the top of the fourth and followed with another scoreless frame in the fifth while collecting his fifth strikeout.
Mississippi picked up its first hit since the second inning when Tevis Payne II singled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Mud Monsters were once again held scoreless.
Windy City opened the top of the sixth with consecutive singles from Cerny and Ruiz.
Ayers dropped a sacrifice bunt back to Campbell that allowed both runners to advance into scoring position.
The southpaw responded by inducing a shallow flyout to right field for the second out before winning a full-count battle with a strikeout to strand both runners and keep the deficit at 3-0.
Larry Makes It Look Easy
Mississippi's shortstop added another defensive highlight.
Brayland Skinner drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the sixth before AJ Fritz reached on a two-out hit-by-pitch.
Windy City then brought in Carsen Plumadore in relief of Biddinger. Facing Amani Larry as his first batter, Plumadore hit him with a pitch to load the bases.
With the bases loaded, Paz popped out on the first offering he saw to end the threat.
Campbell returned to the mound for the top of the seventh and tossed his sixth consecutive scoreless inning despite allowing a two-out single to Fogel.
The Hometown Kid Sparks the Comeback
Bridges drove home two and then scored the tying run himself.
Back-to-back walks to Travis Holt and Payne II opened the bottom of the seventh and knocked Plumadore out of the game as Windy City turned to left-hander Justin Lovell.
Trey Bridges was the first batter Lovell faced, and the Jackson, Mississippi native shot an opposite-field double into left field to score both Holt and Payne II, suddenly pulling the Mud Monsters within a run at 3-2.
Bridges then stole third and came home as the tying run on a sacrifice fly from Shelly, completing Mississippi’s three-run comeback and knotting the game at 3-3.
Windy City Answers
The tie lasted only until the top of the eighth.
Joe Taylor took over on the mound for Mississippi in the top of the eighth, ending an impressive evening for Campbell.
The southpaw completed 7.0 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on eight hits while walking one and striking out six.
Taylor immediately ran into trouble as Cerny and Ruiz collected consecutive singles.
Taylor struck out Ayers for the first out before Urdaneta doubled to bring home a run and put Windy City back in front, 4-3.
Taylor then intentionally walked pinch-hitter Carlos Pena to load the bases before recording the second out on a shallow flyout to left field that kept the runners in place.
Mississippi turned to Connor Langrell out of the bullpen, who worked Sandle to a two-strike count before hitting him with a pitch to force home another run and extend Windy City’s advantage to 5-3.
Langrell uncorked a wild pitch while facing Fogel, allowing another run to cross and restoring the ThunderBolts’ three-run advantage at 6-3.
Mississippi Gets One Back
The Mud Monsters loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth.
Carter Delaney entered for the bottom of the eighth, and Fritz and Larry greeted him with consecutive singles for their first hits of the evening, putting runners on first and second with nobody out.
Paz followed with a flyout that allowed Fritz to advance to third before Holt drew a walk to load the bases with one out.
Payne II then grounded a ball that Windy City attempted to turn into a double play. Payne II beat the play at first while Fritz crossed the plate, pulling Mississippi within two at 6-4.
ThunderBolts Finish It
One more run in the ninth gave Windy City its final margin.
Langrell continued his outing in the top of the ninth and recorded the first out before allowing a single to Cerny.
Cerny stole second, advanced to third on a Langrell wild pitch and came home on a passed ball charged to Payne II, allowing Windy City to get the run back and extend its lead to 7-4.
Delaney remained on the mound in the bottom of the ninth and, despite allowing a one-out single to Skinner, kept Mississippi off the scoreboard to secure Windy City’s fourth consecutive victory and clinch the series.
Full Box Score
Windy City 7, Mississippi 4 - Friday, Aug. 28, 2026 at Trustmark Park
Line Score
Windy City Batting
Windy City Batting Notes
2B: Beebe (23, 1st off Campbell, 2 on, 1 out); Urdaneta (9, 8th off Taylor, 2 on, 1 out)
RBI: Sandle (54), Beebe (69), Cerny 2 (67), Urdaneta (29)
HBP: Sandle (by Langrell)
IBB: Pena
SH: Ayers (2)
SB: Cerny (2)
Mississippi Batting
Mississippi Batting Notes
2B: Bridges (6, 7th off Lovell, 2 on, 0 outs)
RBI: Payne II (32), Bridges 2 (22), Shelly (5)
HBP: Fritz (by Biddinger); Larry (by Plumadore)
SF: Shelly (2)
SB: Larry (28), Payne II (14), Bridges (5)
CS: Booker (6), Paz (4)
Fielding: E - Shelly; PB - Payne II 2
Windy City Pitching
Mississippi Pitching
Pitching & Game Information
Pitches-Strikes: Biddinger 91-49; Plumadore 16-5; Lovell 9-7; Delaney 33-23; Campbell 114-76; Taylor 18-11; Langrell 24-15
Batters Faced: Biddinger 21; Plumadore 4; Lovell 4; Delaney 10; Campbell 31; Taylor 6; Langrell 7
Wild Pitches: Langrell 1
Venue: Trustmark Park - Pearl, Mississippi
Date: Friday, August 28, 2026
Start: 6:34 PM • Final Out: 9:55 PM • Time of Game: 3:21
Attendance: 3,305
Weather: 87°F
Wind: 8 mph E
Umpires: HP Jacob Waldrop • 1B Jordan Alfonzo • 3B Michael Love
Official Scorer: Keith Head
Christmas Comes to the Swamp
The Mud Monsters continue their six-game series against the ThunderBolts Saturday night with one of the final home games of the 2026 season.
Mississippi will take the field in special Christmas Southern Lights-themed jerseys, which will be auctioned off following the game. The evening will also feature holiday-themed effects and a pregame Jeep Parade as part of the Duck Duck Jeep promotion. Kids will have the opportunity to run the bases following the final out.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:01 p.m. CT with gates opening at 5:01 p.m. CT. Right-hander Sergio Sanchez (2-4, 7.71) gets the start for Mississippi while Windy City counters with left-hander Ramon Rodriguez (2-3, 4.85).
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.