Game Recap • September 3, 2026

Campbell Tosses First Mud Monsters Complete Game of 2026, Leads Mississippi to Series Win Over Joliet

Tyler Campbell went the distance in his final start of the season as Mississippi closed out the series with a 7-1 victory.

Colton Martinez

Director of Broadcasting & Storytelling
Mississippi Mud Monsters

Final: Mississippi 7, Joliet 1 Record: Mississippi 39-59 Campbell: 9.0 IP, 7 K First: Complete Game of 2026 Series: Mississippi Wins 2-1

JOLIET, Ill. (Sep. 3, 2026) — In his final start of 2026, Tyler Campbell became the first Mississippi Mud Monsters (39-59) starter to toss a complete game this season in a 7-1 series-clinching win over the Joliet Slammers (41-58) Thursday night at Slammers Stadium.

With each team having one win apiece, Mississippi entered Thursday’s finale looking to lock up the series victory.

Campbell made his Mud Monsters debut against the Slammers at Trustmark Park on June 9 and took the mound for his fourth start against Joliet looking to get Mississippi back in the win column.

After Joliet starter Eric Turner retired the Mississippi offense in order to begin the top of the first, Campbell matched him in the bottom half while picking up his first strikeout of the evening.

The Mud Monsters bats were retired 1-2-3 again in the top of the second before Campbell returned to work in the bottom half.

A leadoff single by Jackson Valera started the inning before Jackson Beaman grounded into a 6-4-3 double play turned by Joshua Shelly, Amani Larry and AJ Fritz to record the first two outs.

An offering from the southpaw hit the next batter, Olivier Basabe, to put him aboard before Basabe stole second to move into scoring position.

Cam Suto then doubled to bring home the first run of the game and give Joliet a 1-0 lead.

Campbell rebounded and recorded his second strikeout to close out the frame.

Turner retired Mississippi’s offense in order in the top of the third to sit down the entire Mud Monsters lineup the first time through.

Campbell retired the first batter in the bottom of the third before Ian Battipaglia reached on a fielding error, but the left-hander recorded the final two outs in order to post a scoreless frame.

Larry collected Mississippi’s first hit in the top of the fourth with a one-out single to left field and took a wide turn around first.

As Larry retreated to the bag, the throw from left field came in wild, allowing him to advance to second.

Larry then attempted to steal third, but Joliet catcher Brandon Heidal’s throw sailed into left field, allowing Larry to come all the way around to score the game-tying run and make it 1-1.

Campbell began his fourth inning of work by surrendering Valera’s second single of the evening.

A flyout followed for the first out before Campbell struck out Basabe for the second.

On the strikeout, Valera attempted to steal second, but Basabe walked in front of Mississippi catcher Tevis Payne II and prevented him from making a throw. Batter’s interference was called to end the inning.

Mississippi found more offensive success in the top of the fifth after Travis Holt singled with one out.

Back-to-back walks to Payne II and Trey Bridges followed to load the bases.

Shelly gave Mississippi its first lead of the evening by lifting a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing home Holt to make it 2-1 Mud Monsters.

Brayland Skinner then delivered a two-run single to extend the advantage to 4-1.

Larry collected his second hit of the evening to move Skinner to third and put runners on the corners.

Turner uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Skinner to score and Larry to advance to second, extending Mississippi’s lead to 5-1.

Kyle Booker followed with an RBI single to bring home Larry and make it 6-1 while knocking Turner out of the game.

Jake Carroll entered in relief and recorded the final out to close the book on Mississippi’s five-run fifth.

Working with a five-run lead, Campbell tossed his second 1-2-3 inning of the evening, recording consecutive strikeouts for the first two outs.

The first two Mississippi batters in the top of the sixth reached on back-to-back singles by Kasten Furr and Holt.

A double play followed that allowed Furr to advance to third, but with two outs, Mississippi was unable to add to its lead.

Campbell allowed a one-out baserunner after issuing his first walk of the evening to Tyler Cerny in the bottom of the sixth, but a 6-4-3 double play followed to close out the frame.

Things remained stagnant until the Mud Monsters loaded the bases against Joliet reliever Jack Potteiger in the top of the eighth.

Fritz led off the inning with a walk before Furr collected his second hit of the evening and Holt reached on an error by shortstop Battipaglia to load the bases.

After a strikeout, Bridges drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Fritz and extend Mississippi’s advantage to six at 7-1.

Campbell remained on the hill in the bottom of the eighth at 99 pitches and recorded the first two outs before surrendering a double to Cerny and issuing a walk to Ward.

The left-hander responded by inducing a groundout for the final out to send the game to the ninth.

Mississippi’s offense was retired in order by Joliet reliever Tanner Shears in the top of the ninth, setting the scene for Campbell in the bottom half.

Looking to become the first Mud Monsters starter to toss a complete game in 2026, Campbell fired a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth while recording his seventh and final strikeout of the evening.

The Albuquerque, New Mexico native finished his night after 9.0 innings, allowing one run on six hits while walking two and striking out seven.

Campbell became the first Mud Monsters pitcher in 2026 and third in franchise history to toss a complete game, joining Luis Devers and Tyree Thompson, who each accomplished the feat during the 2025 season.

The 7-1 victory secured the series win for Mississippi and allowed the Mud Monsters to finish their season series against Joliet with a winning 7-5 record.