CRESTWOOD, IL – The ThunderBolts fell just short of the Mississippi Mud Monsters in game one of a doubleheader Thursday night, falling 2-1 before suffering a 6-2 defeat in game two for a Mississippi sweep.
The Mud Monsters (17-19) struck early in game one as Travis Holt reached on an error and eventually stole home.
Their 1-0 lead lasted all the way into the sixth inning, when they padded it with a two-out RBI double from Ti’Quan Forbes making the score 2-0.
Christian Kuzemka made it interesting for the Bolts (9-27), homering on the first pitch of the seventh inning but that was as close as the ThunderBolts got in the game one loss.
Brian Williams (2-2) pitched a complete game, striking out seven for the win. Dylan Kirkeby 92-3) allowed just one earned run in six innings but took the loss.
Mississippi scored in the first inning again in game two, getting hits from their first three batters. Karell Paz and Ryan Cash both hit RBI singles. Paz struck again in the second inning with a sacrifice fly that made it 3-0.
The ThunderBolts had scoring chances in the second, third and fourth innings but couldn’t break through until the fifth. Josh Gibson tripled and Michael Sandle doubled him home. Sandle scored on a Daryl Ruiz groundout, but by then, Mississippi had already pulled away. They scored twice in the fifth and once more in the seventh.
Brandon Mitchell allowed two runs in five innings for the win and Greg Duncan (2-3) threw 3.1 innings, allowing three runs for the loss. Michael Reed threw two perfect frames for the save.
The ThunderBolts open a three-game series with the Schaumburg Boomers on Friday night. Dante Maietta (0-1, 6.75) makes his first career start for the Bolts against Schaumburg’s Eric Turner (4-1, 3.64). It’s Fright Night at Ozinga Field, featuring a postgame fireworks display. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 and broadcast information can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.
