Wahoos’ Season On the Brink After Playoff Game One Loss To Biloxi

September 16, 2026

The Blue Wahoos this season produced their third-best win percentage in franchise history with a team relying on its resolve.

They will need to summon that trait to continue postseason aspirations.

After the Blue Wahoos lost starting pitcher Jacob Kisting to an injury in the fifth inning, interrupting a brilliant performance, the Biloxi Shuckers opened a five-run lead and finished with a 6-3 win in Tuesday night’s Game 1 of the Southern League South Division Playoffs at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The best-of-three series now shifts to Biloxi on Thursday for the second game and, if a deciding game is needed, on Friday.

The Shuckers’ win also extended their success against the Blue Wahoos in the playoffs. The Shuckers, who have been the Milwaukee Brewers’ Double-A affiliate since their inception in 2015, are now 10-3 in four playoff series meetings – winning the three previous divisional series matchups.

Biloxi, which was 9-17 against the Blue Wahoos in season play, struck out 15 times in this game, but got clutch hits when needed. Both teams finished with 10 hits.

Misfortune for the Blue Wahoos on this night struck in the top of the fifth inning of a scoreless game.

Blue Wahoos pitcher Jacob Kisting, who was 10-0 across two levels this season, including wins in four of this five starts with Pensacola, did not allow a hit and struck out six Shuckers in the first four innings.
But Kisting hurt himself facing the first batter of the new inning.

His 1-0 fastball was blasted out of the ballpark by Shuckers right fielder Damon Keith. Both of Kisting’s pitches in that inning were under 90 mph and he had not thrown a fastball under that speed in the previous four innings.
It points to the injury likely happening on the first pitch of that inning.

Nigel Belgrave, one of the Blue Wahoos’ top relievers, was fast-tracked into the game after having warm-up time on the mound. He struck out the next two batters, but gave up a slicing bloop double that hit just inside the left field foul line.

Dylan O’Rae followed with a hard grounder that caromed off second baseman Payton Green’s glove to give the Shuckers a 2-0 lead.

That lead became 5-1 in the sixth inning. Biloxi’s first three batters reached against Belgrave. With one out, Josh Adamczewski doubled home a run, then Matthew Wood’s two-out double widened the lead.

The Blue Wahoos entered the playoffs with 79-58 overall record in the regular season – the best mark in the league. They were 43-25 in the second half.

But five of their top players who helped build that record were no longer on the roster. The group included top slugger Brandon Compton and fellow outfielder Cam Cannarella, both of whom were elevated to Triple-A Jacksonville during the final two months.

Infielder Aiva Arquette then was injured during the final week and unable to play, meaning the Miami Marlins’ top three Draft selections of 2025, all of whom impacted this team, were gone.

Tuesday night, the Blue Wahoos missed scoring chances in the first three innings. They had two runners on base each time and five hits combined, but came up empty.

In the first inning, Cristian Hernández was thrown out at the plate by centerfielder Braylon Payne, while trying to score on catcher Ryan Ignoffo’s two-out single.

Ignoffo then hit into an inning-ending double-play in the third.

Former Florida State star Max Williams, the Blue Wahoos’ top hitter in the final weeks, drove in their first run on a fifth-inning single. Hernadez had a two-run single in the seventh to further cut the deficit.
But in the final two innings, the Blue Wahoos couldn’t rally against Biloxi’s bullpen and will have to seek a change in fortune on the road.

written by Bill Vilona

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FRONT FEATURE, Sports, TOP sports