The Mississippi Mud Monsters began a new era of professional baseball in the Jackson metro area with a bang.
On Thursday, the Frontier League club led a monstrous 13-2 win over the Florence Y’alls out of Kentucky in its debut at Trustmark Park, or “The Swamp,” as team officials call it. A reported 4,552 fans were in attendance for the team’s home opener.
Vicksburg native and Super Bowl-winning defensive back Malcolm Butler threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and the words, “Play Ball!” were uttered, marking a new beginning in the Pearl ballpark.
And for the FIRST TIME IN HISTORY…Y’ALLs Mississippi Mud Monsters WIN!!!
What an amazing Inaugural Opening Night at Trustmark Park!!!
We’ll be back in the swamp tomorrow night at 6:30PM!! Gates will open at 5:30PM!! Don’t forget that there’s fireworks tomorrow night!!! pic.twitter.com/XHWBB3Ae26
— Mississippi Mud Monsters (@mudmonstersbsb) May 9, 2025
Australian native James Boeree, the tallest pitcher in recorded baseball history, opened things up on the hill for the home club. The 7-foot-2 right-handed hurler led a clean top of the first. Former national championship-winning Mississippi State outfielder Brayland Skinner scored the Mud Monsters’ first run courtesy of an errant throw to first base.
The Y’alls evened things up 1-1 in the top of the second inning, but the stalemate was short-lived. A two-run bottom of the fourth put the Mud Monsters ahead on the scoreboard once more. An offensive explosion ahead of the seventh inning found the home club up nine.
Florence tacked on a run in the top of the eighth — one that was outdone in the bottom of the inning when the Mud Monsters plated three runners. Mississippi’s Frontier League bunch held the Y’alls scoreless in the final frame, and a fireworks show rubberstamped a successful night on the diamond.
The Mud Monsters will continue their inaugural homestand against Florence on Friday, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.