SAUGET, Ill. (Sep. 6, 2026) — A historic performance from Brian Williams, along with a pair of home runs, helped lift the Mississippi Mud Monsters (40-61) to an 8-2 victory over the Gateway Grizzlies (44-57) in the final game of the 2026 season Sunday night at Arsenal BG Ballpark.

After dropping the first two games of the series, the Mud Monsters sent Williams to the mound looking to conclude the year with a win.

The right-hander out of Bryan, Texas, took the hill looking to become the first Mississippi pitcher to reach both 100 innings pitched and 100 strikeouts.

Entering with 93 punchouts, Williams took the mound with a lead after Kyle Booker, the second batter in Mississippi’s lineup, went opposite field over the left-center field wall for a solo home run. His team-leading 11th of the year gave the Mud Monsters a 1-0 advantage.

Williams picked up his first strikeout of the evening against Gateway leadoff man Daryl Lee before putting a baserunner aboard after hitting Mark Shallenberger with a pitch.

A two-out single from Bryson Horne followed before Williams induced a popout to end his first scoreless inning of work.

Travis Holt collected his first hit with one out in the top of the second, but a fielder’s choice ground ball off the bat of Tevis Payne II eliminated Holt and allowed Payne II to reach.

Despite the baserunner, Gateway starter Gage Vailes pitched his way out of the inning without allowing a run.

Williams recorded the first out in the bottom of the second before surrendering a game-tying solo home run to Derek Williams to make it 1-1.

The Mississippi right-hander responded with his second strikeout of the evening for out number two before issuing his first walk to Brennan Orf.

Williams came right back and struck out Lee for the second time to collect his third strikeout and end the inning.

Mississippi put a pair of two-out baserunners aboard in the top of the third after Booker and AJ Fritz singled.

A perfectly executed double steal followed to move both into scoring position, but the Mud Monsters were unable to bring either home.

Shallenberger led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run to give Gateway its first lead, 2-1.

Singles from Dale Thomas and Horne followed to put runners on the corners.

An offering from Williams went to the backstop, prompting Thomas to break for home, but Payne II retrieved the ball and fired it to Williams, who applied the tag for the first out.

A lineout and groundout followed as Williams escaped the inning having surrendered only the one run.

In the top of the fourth, Kasten Furr reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a groundout.

Payne II then collected his first hit of the evening, ripping an RBI double down the right-field line to score Furr and tie the game at 2-2.

The next batter, Karell Paz, followed with an RBI double of his own after blooping a ball down the right-field line to score Payne II and give the Mud Monsters a 3-2 lead.

One batter later, with two outs, Brayland Skinner singled into left field to bring home Paz and extend Mississippi’s advantage to 4-2.

Working with a two-run lead, Williams tossed his first 1-2-3 inning while picking up back-to-back strikeouts of Sawyer Smith and Orf.

The right-hander followed with a second consecutive 1-2-3 frame, recording another strikeout for the second out and his 99th of the season.

Payne II singled to lead off the top of the sixth for his second hit of the evening before Paz followed with a single that advanced Payne II to third.

As the throw came in attempting to catch Payne II advancing, Paz alertly moved to second to put both runners in scoring position.

Joshua Shelly followed by delivering the biggest swing of his young professional career, launching his first professional home run, a three-run laser into left field that extended Mississippi’s advantage to 7-2.

The blast knocked Vailes out of the game as Gateway turned to Jake Burcham in relief. The right-hander retired all three batters he faced to send the game to the bottom of the sixth.

Williams returned to the mound and, with one out and a 2-2 count against Jose Alvaréz, the right-hander made history.

With his seventh strikeout of the night, Williams became the first pitcher in Mud Monsters history to record 100 strikeouts in a season.

Brayden Sanders then entered out of the bullpen, ending Williams’ historic final start of 2026.

On 110 pitches, Williams completed 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out seven.

Sanders struck out Victor Castillo to close the frame and send the game to the seventh.

Jake Bockenstedt entered for Gateway and retired Mississippi in order in the top half.

Sanders continued his outing in the bottom of the seventh and retired the Grizzlies in order, adding two more strikeouts to bring his total to three.

Andrew Ronne entered for Gateway in the top of the eighth and issued a leadoff walk to Payne II.

Payne II stole second and advanced to third on a groundout.

A two-out hit-by-pitch to Skinner put runners on the corners before Booker grounded a ball that caromed off the glove of first baseman Derek Williams and into right field, allowing Payne II to score and extend Mississippi’s advantage to 8-2.

Dallas Woolfolk took over in the bottom of the eighth and completed a fifth consecutive 1-2-3 inning by Mississippi pitching to send the game to the ninth.

Matt Hickey kept the Mud Monsters scoreless in their final offensive opportunity of 2026 before Connor Langrell entered in the bottom of the ninth looking to secure one final victory.

Langrell recorded a strikeout for the first out before Alvaréz singled to reach.

A game-ending double play followed, securing an 8-2 Mississippi victory and bringing the 2026 season to a close with win No. 40.