Heavily impacted tent pads: Bring my inner or improve pitch technique?

Looking for some post-trip advice...

On a September 2025 trip along the Rockwall Trail, I decided to save some pack weight by bringing just the outer fly and ground cloth of my Durston 1P and leaving the inner behind.

Our first night on trail was at a heavily impacted, designated backcountry site. I pitched the fly with what felt like a standard low clearance (about 1 to 2 inches).

However, we got hit with sustained, heavy rain overnight. The compacted dirt had zero drainage resulting in serve mud/rain splatter under the perimeter and all over my gear.

Around 3:30 AM I packed up to manage the mess, put on my rain gear, and sat under the tent until sunrise.

We lucked out with clear skies and sun the next morning, so I managed to dry everything out.

For those who regularly take tarps or fly-only shelters into areas with compacted, hard-packed designated sites:

Was leaving the inner a tactical mistake here or could this issue have been addressed by adjusting my pitch (and intentionally sacrificing ventilation)?