Upset In Mississippi: Texas Tailgaters Shock Party Animals in Starkville

After a heartbreaking loss the night before, the Texas Tailgaters got revenge on the Party Animals.

The Savannah Bananas played the Texas Tailgaters at Great American Ballpark on Friday June 13, 2025. / Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After a heartbreaking loss to the Party Animals the night before, the Texas Tailgaters got revenge. This happened in front of a sold out crowd in Starkville, Mississippi. The stadium filled with excited Banana Ball fans witnessed an exciting game. 

The fans were treated to some epic plays, some great guests and a dramatic finish. This season has been so exciting and this series has proved that Banana Ball is here to stay. It is not just a viral sensation that will come and go. 

This Savannah Bananas have been selling out stadiums for years now. This year they have sold out football stadiums and major league ball parks. But this season the Party Animals have proved that they are capable of doing the same thing. Banana Ball isn’t just about the Bananas anymore. People are coming out to see the Party Animals and Texas Tailgaters put on a show! 

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Now let’s get to the game. The Texas Tailgaters got out to a quick lead in this one. They were up 3-1 and putting on a show. Jonathan “Sunshine” Luders had one of the best trick plays in recent memory. And it seemed like the Tailgaters were going to cruise to a victory. 

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But with the help of Jonathan Papelbon (yes, you read that right) the Party Animals were able to come back into the game! The World Series Champion, former Red Sox Pitcher, and Mississippi State Bulldog, got the crucial final out of the 8th inning for the Party animals that put them in position to tie the game. 

In the bottom of the 9th, the Party Animals were able to tie the game and send it into showdowns! The showdowns only had one round and was quite similar to the game these two teams played two weeks ago. Zach Watson scored the go ahead run at the beginning of the round for the Tailgaters and Reece Hampton was tagged out at home plate to end the game. 

Even with this loss the Party Animals are still pacing to be the number 1 seed in the Tour Championship in October because the Savannah Bananas were upset by the Firefighters in showdowns tonight too. 

If you want to learn more about Jonathan Luders and why he was able to make such an outstanding trick play, check out my interview with him on the Banana Breakdown Podcast:

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