Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
UIC
Murray State Heads to Chicago for MVC Series Against Flames
4/8/2026 7:59:00 PM | Baseball
MURRAY, Ky. – Murray State baseball travels to Chicago this weekend for a Missouri Valley Conference series against UIC, marking only the second time the Racers have played at Illinois-Chicago.
The Racers (21-12, 7-2 MVC) lead the conference standings despite a series loss to Belmont last weekend. Murray State's 7-0 start to conference play was the program's best since 1991. The team enters the weekend following an 8-7 midweek win over Bellarmine in 10 innings, improving its all-time record against the Knights to 6-0.
Murray State looks to maintain its offensive momentum behind the trio of Kristofer Hokenson, Kainen Jorge and Colby Ott. Over the last two weeks, Hokenson has led the Racers with three home runs, while Ott has posted a team-high .440 batting average. Luke Mistone remains a central figure in the lineup, driving in 10 RBIs during that span despite a recent dip in his average.
Ben Rosin has emerged as a key piece in the Murray State bullpen. Following his first win on the mound at Bellarmine, Rosin looks to build on a performance against Belmont where he threw three hitless innings of relief, struck out five with no walks and earned his fourth save of the season.
Head coach Dan Skirka is one win away from moving into third place in program history. With 230 wins, Skirka trails Mike Thieke's career total of 231.
Murray State has historically dominated the Flames, holding a 43-8-1 all-time record in the series. The Racers' offense leads the MVC with 240 RBIs through 33 games. They look to exploit a UIC pitching staff that carries a 7.00 team ERA.
The Flames (9-20-1, 4-5 MVC) are led by pitcher Mason Lei, who has 38 strikeouts and seven walks with a 4.91 ERA. Offensively, Jake Busson leads the MVC with 11 home runs and has a team-high 32 RBIs.
The three-game series begins Friday. Games are scheduled for 6 p.m., 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. All three will be streamed on ESPN+, with live updates available via @RacersBaseball on Instagram and X.
