KINSTON, N.C. (May 23, 2025) – The Down East Bird Dawgs fell 4-3 to the Mississippi Mud Monsters in a back-and-forth game Friday, stranding 12 runners, including the bases loaded in the first and second innings.

Mississippi jumped in front in the first inning as Brayland Skinner came home on a single to right field hit by Kyle Booker to lead 1-0.

The Bird Dawgs answered in the bottom half with a run scored by Cameron Masterman by way of a Yassel Pino base-hit to tie the game 1-1

Victor Diaz brought in a Mud Monsters run in the second on a single to center that allowed Travis Holt to cross the dish to take a 2-1 lead.

The Bird Dawgs responded in the bottom of the second with a double hit by Stephen DiTomaso to bring in Tyler Blaum to tie the game 2-2. After a standstill in the fourth, they took the lead as Pino ripped a single up the middle to allow Masterman to touch home plate to go in front 3-2.

Mississippi found their stride in the sixth as they scored two runs, Kyle Booker scored on a groundout hit by Roberto Gonzalez, and TiQuan Forbes found his way home on an infield single hit by Nicholas Hassan, taking a 4-3 lead.

The bullpen shined for Mississippi as they delivered five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out eight batters.

Tyree Thompson (3-0) tallied his third win of the season as he pitched two innings in relief of Mud Monsters starter Brandon Mitchell, who went four innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Sergio Sanchez delivered a one-two-three inning in the ninth to secure the save, including a strikeout on Emmanuel Tapia, who hit a grand slam off him the night prior.

Andrew Baker (0-2) took the loss for the Bird Dawgs, allowing two runs in one inning pitched after coming in for starter Drew Durst, who gave five innings of work without allowing an earned run and striking out four batters. The Bird Dawgs bullpen did show sparks of life down the stretch as Brandon Kaminer pitched two hitless innings while striking out five batters, and Drew Henderson stepped on the rubber for the ninth, throwing eight strikes on nine pitches during a one-two-three frame.

The Bird Dawgs drop to 4-7 as they take on Mississippi for game five of a six-game series on Saturday, May 24 at 7 p.m., with a Bird Dawgs basketball jersey giveaway sponsored by Walker Insurance Group.