Ninth Inning Comeback Falls Short, Mud Monsters Settle for Series Win
PEARL, Miss. (July 2, 2026) - The Mississippi Mud Monsters (20-28) came in attempting to sweep the Gateway Grizzlies (23-24), and despite drawing a team-record 14 walks and getting a pinch-hit RBI single from Tevis Payne II, the ninth-inning comeback fell short in a 5-4 final.
Monster Notes
Mississippi drew a club-record 14 walks, made it a one-run game in the ninth and still secured the series.
- The Mud Monsters drew a team-record 14 walks.
- Tevis Payne II came off the bench with a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth.
- Brayland Skinner doubled home a run in the eighth inning.
- Tyler Campbell worked seven innings and struck out three.
- Mississippi still took two of three from Gateway to win the series.
Gateway Strikes First
The Grizzlies pushed across the game's first run in the second inning.
Southpaw Tyler Campbell took the mound looking to continue his home winning streak after winning his first three starts at Trustmark Park.
After striking out leadoff hitter Dale Thomas as part of a 1-2-3 first inning, Gateway was able to punch first in the top of the second.
It all started with Bryson Horne reaching on an error after grounding a ball that caromed off the mound and into Slater Schield's glove. The Mud Monsters shortstop made a throw to first that Scout Knotts could not pick.
Horne moved to third on a single by Davie Morgan and came in on a fielder's choice by Darryl Lee.
Grizzlies Add Three
Gateway stretched the lead with a three-run fourth inning.
After being silenced in the third, Gateway went back to work with the lumber in the fourth inning.
A leadoff single by Victor Castillo was followed by a one-out base hit from Brennan Orf.
Morgan followed with a double to score both Gateway runners, and Lee singled home Morgan to put the Grizzlies up 4-0.
Mississippi Gets on the Board
Reed's sacrifice fly brought home the first Mud Monsters run.
Mississippi formulated an answer in the bottom half of the inning after loading the bases with one out off a long single by Samil De La Rosa and back-to-back walks by Kasten Furr and Andrew Semo.
Vantrel Reed lifted a ball into center field to allow De La Rosa to come home and score Mississippi's first run of the game.
Walks Keep Coming
The Mud Monsters cut the lead in half in the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Mud Monsters kept their foot on the pedal, reloading the bases after Brayland Skinner walked to start the frame, knocking Gateway starter Blake Peyton out of the game as it was the seventh free pass Mississippi's bats had drawn.
After Alec Sparks took over on the hill, Kyle Booker followed with his ninth double of the season. The next batter, Travis Holt, was hit by a pitch to juice the bases.
The first offering from Sparks to De La Rosa got by Gateway catcher José Alvarez, allowing the speedy Skinner to cross and cut Gateway's advantage in half at 4-2.
Gateway Adds Insurance
The Grizzlies pushed the lead back to three in the seventh.
The score remained there until the top of the seventh when Gateway put up another run to go back up by three.
Lee began the inning by reaching on a hit-by-pitch and, after attempting to steal second, Semo's throw from behind the plate sailed into center field, allowing Lee to move all the way to third.
Following a strikeout of Mitchell Sanford, Thomas lifted a fly ball to right field that was deep enough to bring home the tagging Lee and make it a 5-2 ballgame.
Campbell finished his day after completing seven innings. The southpaw out of Albuquerque, New Mexico allowed five runs, three earned, on six hits while walking one and striking out three.
Dallas Woolfolk and Tristan House followed in relief, each posting scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth.
Skinner Cuts It to Two
Mississippi broke through again in the eighth inning.
Mississippi had been held at bay through the sixth and seventh innings but broke through in the bottom of the eighth.
Knotts walked to begin things, and Schield laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second as the order turned over for Skinner.
Hitless to that point, Skinner launched an offering from Gateway reliever Andrew Ronne to right-center that glanced off Castillo's glove for an RBI double, scoring Knotts to cut the deficit to two at 5-3.
Ninth-Inning Push
Payne II came off the bench and made it a one-run game.
Julio Ortiz entered to pitch the ninth for the Grizzlies looking to lock down the save, but Mississippi made things interesting.
After back-to-back walks put De La Rosa and Furr aboard, Ortiz got Semo swinging for the first out before Payne II entered as a pinch hitter.
The rookie lined the third pitch he saw into left field for a run-scoring base hit off the bench, making it a one-run ballgame with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
Ortiz struck out Knotts, and despite both runners successfully pulling off a double steal to move into scoring position, Schield suffered the same fate to end the game with Gateway holding on for the 5-4 victory.
Despite the loss, the Mud Monsters secured the series, taking two of three from the Grizzlies.
Full Box Score
Gateway 5, Mississippi 4 - July 2, 2026 at Trustmark Park
Line Score
Gateway Batting
Mississippi Batting
Gateway Pitching
Mississippi Pitching
Box Score Notes
Gateway extra-base hits: Morgan doubled in the fourth and ninth innings.
Mississippi extra-base hits: Booker doubled in the fifth. Skinner doubled in the eighth.
RBIs: Gateway - Thomas, Morgan 2, Lee 2. Mississippi - Skinner, Reed, Payne II.
Base running: Gateway stolen base - Lee. Mississippi stolen bases - Furr and Payne II. Skinner and Furr were caught stealing.
Pitching: Peyton 72 pitches, 34 strikes. Sparks 20 pitches, 8 strikes. Ronne 23 pitches, 8 strikes. Hickey 27 pitches, 16 strikes. Ortiz 27 pitches, 16 strikes. Campbell 97 pitches, 63 strikes. Woolfolk 10 pitches, 9 strikes. House 11 pitches, 8 strikes.
Game information: Trustmark Park - Pearl, Mississippi. Thursday, July 2, 2026. First pitch: 6:31 p.m. Final out: 9:11 p.m. Time of game: 2:40. Attendance: 1,116. Weather: 90 degrees. Wind: 7 mph ENE. Official scorer: Keith Head.
Up Next
The Mud Monsters continue their homestand Friday evening, welcoming the Florence Y'alls to Trustmark Park for a three-game series. The Friday Fireworks show will feature Independence Day: The Prequel Fireworks Extravaganza presented by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi and Mississippi Farm Bureau.
Mississippi will send right-hander Brian Williams (2-5, 6.75) to the hill while Florence counters with fellow right-hander Casey Bargo (2-1, 6.75). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT, and gates open at 5:30 p.m. CT.
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.