Waldrep and Schwellenbach dazzle in a doubleheader sweep of Shuckers

PEARL, MS (May 15, 2024) — Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach -- Atlanta's No. 2 and No. 3 ranked prospects -- put on a show Wednesday night, combining for 14 innings, one run, one walk, and 17 strikeouts in a doubleheader sweep by the Mississippi Braves (14-21) over the Biloxi Shuckers (16-19) at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves walked off with a 2-1 victory in eight innings in game one and blanked Biloxi 1-0 in the nightcap. The M-Braves now have a season-high three-game winning streak.

Waldrep (W, 2-3) turned in the best performance of his professional career in game one of Wednesday's doubleheader, earning his second win. Atlanta's first-round selection in 2023 tossed a complete game, 8.0 innings of one-run baseball, walking none and striking out eight. It was the second shortened complete game of the year for the 22-year-old from Thomasville, GA. Biloxi collected their lone run in the top of the second inning.

Drake Baldwin tied the game at 1-1 with a 389-foot home run into the Farm Bureau Grill for his second home run of 2024.

Waldrep sat down Biloxi in order in the top of the eighth inning and stranded the bonus runner at second base. The M-Braves needed just one batter to end the game. Justin Dean moved to third base on a Sam Gardner (L, 0-2) wild pitch, and Tyler Tolve sent a sacrifice fly to right field to score Dean, securing the second walk-off win over the Shuckers this season.

In the nightcap, Schwellenbach (W, 1-0), just promoted from High-A Rome on Tuesday, made his Double-A debut and didn't disappoint. The 2021 second-round pick out of Nebraska struck out five of the first seven batters he faced and ended up with a career-high nine punchouts. Schwellenbach's lone walk came to start the fifth inning, but it was erased on a double play.

The M-Braves handed the right-hander a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Cody Milligan drew a walk against starter Nate Peterson (L, 1-2) to start the inning and then stole second base. Milligan scored on the next pitch via an RBI single by Yolbert Sanchez.

Schwellenbach exited after 6.0 shutout innings on three hits, with one walk and nine strikeouts. He became the first M-Braves starting pitcher to win his M-Braves debut since Claudio Custodio in 2019.

During the doubleheader, Milligan and Geraldo Quintero collected their 14th stolen bases of the year, T-2nd in the Southern League. In the two games combined, the M-Braves offense had just seven hits.

Game three of the six-game series is Thursday night at Trustmark Park. First pitch is set for 6:35 pm with RHP JJ Niekro (1-4, 3.98) starting for Mississippi against RHP Brett Wichrowski (1-0, 5.63) for Biloxi. Coverage begins at 6:20 pm on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv.

Tomorrow's game features Thirsty Thursday Blues and Brews, with a Trucker Cap Giveaway to the first 333 adults, 21 and over. The series continues through Sunday with a Commemorative 20th Year of Trustmark Park T-Shirt to the first 1,000 fans on Friday, May 17, and Post-Game Fireworks after the game on Saturday, May 18. For tickets and information on the latest promotions, visit mississippibraves.com.