Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
2-0
Ohio
0-2
Racers Clinch Series Victory Over Ohio with Sunday Split
2/15/2026 7:42:00 PM | Baseball
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Murray State baseball split a doubleheader with Ohio on Sunday at Itchy Jones Stadium, taking the first game 11-8 before falling 15-13 in a high-scoring finale. The Racers moved to 2-1 on the young season with the split, claiming their first weekend series of the 2026 campaign.
Murray State used a powerful start in the opener to secure the series victory, launching two three-run home runs in the first inning to build an early lead they would not surrender. The second game turned into an offensive shootout, with both teams combining for 28 runs and 30 hits. The Racers nearly erased an eight-run deficit with late rallies in the seventh and ninth innings but saw their comeback bid fall just short.
How It Happened - Game 1
The Racers wasted no time getting on the board in the first game. After Luke Mistone and Connor Chisolm scored, Daylan Pena crushed a three-run home run to give Murray State a quick 3-0 advantage. Later in the inning, Sloan Barrett followed suit with a three-run blast of his own to right-center field. Kristofer Hokenson capped the seven-run frame by reaching on an error that allowed Kainen Jorge to cross the plate.
Murray State added to its lead in the fourth inning with a Chisolm solo home run, and Kingsley Guthrie drove in a run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. A wild pitch later in the inning allowed Mistone to score, extending the lead to 10-3.
Colby Ott provided an insurance run in the fifth with a sacrifice fly that scored Chisolm. Starting pitcher Jacob Hustedde earned the win, while Dylan Zentko closed out the game on the mound, earning his first save of the season. Ohio attempted a late rally with homers in the eighth, but the Racers held on for the 11-8 victory.
Game 2
The series finale featured plenty of offense from the start. Murray State answered an early Ohio run with three of their own in the bottom of the first. Pena doubled to right-center to score Mistone, followed by an RBI triple from Jorge. Parker Airhart then singled to left to bring Jorge home for a 3-1 lead.
After the Bobcats reclaimed the lead, the Racers chipped away in the middle innings. Airhart delivered another RBI single in the third, and Mistone drove in a run on a fielder's choice in the fourth.
Trailing 11-5 entering the seventh, the Murray State offense erupted for five runs to pull within striking distance. The Racers continued to fight in the ninth inning, looking to complete the comeback. Tyler Butina kept hope alive with an RBI double to center field that scored Barrett. Moments later, Jorge launched a two-run home run to cut the deficit to two, but the rally ended there as the Racers fell 15-13.
The Racers are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Florence, Ala. to take on North Alabama in a midweek showdown.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Deremer, Drew (1-0)
L: L. Bryant (0-1)
S: Zentko, Dylan (1)
Batting:
2B: C. Boyd 1 ; C. Bryant 1 ; W. Henson 1
HR: C. Boyd 1
RBI: C. Boyd 2 ; C. Bryant 2 ; W. Henson 1 ; G. Wilson 1 ; R. Harmon 1
SF: W. Henson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: T. Harris 1 ; M. Palinski 2 ; C. Boyd 2 ; C. Bryant 1 ; W. Henson 1 ; D. Shepherd 1
SB: C. Boyd 1
CS: T. Harris 1
HBP: C. Bryant 1 ; D. Shepherd 1 ; G. Wilson 1 ; R. Harmon 1
Batting:
HR: Chisolm, Connor 1 ; Pena, Daylan 1 ; Barrett, Sloan 1
RBI: Chisolm, Connor 1 ; Ott, Colby 1 ; Pena, Daylan 3 ; Hokenson, Kristofer 1 ; Guthrie, Kingsley 1 ; Barrett, Sloan 3
SF: Ott, Colby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chisolm, Connor 3 ; Ott, Colby 1 ; Mistone, Luke 2 ; Pena, Daylan 1 ; Jorge, Kainen 1 ; Hokenson, Kristofer 1 ; Perritano, Anthony 1 ; Barrett, Sloan 1
SB: Chisolm, Connor 2 ; Perritano, Anthony 1 ; Barrett, Sloan 2
HBP: Mistone, Luke 1 ; Guthrie, Kingsley 1 ; Barrett, Sloan 1
