Softball Season Comes to an End in MVC Finals

Saturday, May 9

Carbondale, IL

1 p.m.

Murray State

29-23

Belmont University

40-11

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Murray St.	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	3	0
Belmont	0	0	0	6	2	0	X	8	11	0

5/9/2026 3:54:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Murray State Falls to Belmont 8-1

By: Charlie Williams

The Murray State Racers (29-23, 17-9 MVC) fell to the Belmont Bruins (40-11, 21-5 MVC) 8-1 in the MVC Championship Finals to end the 2026 season on Saturday in Carbondale, Illinois.

The game started out as a pitchers' duel, with starters Karlye Graber and Ellie Giles not allowing runs until the fourth inning. Belmont got runners on base in each of the first three innings, but Graber got out of trouble each time.

Adison Hicks broke the tie in the top of the fourth inning with her eighth home run of the season, a solo bomb to left-center field that gave Murray State a 1-0 lead. After a leadoff double in the bottom of the inning, Belmont got on the board on a two-run single. The damage continued as the Bruins scored four more runs before the fourth inning came to a close.

The Bruins scored two more in the fifth on another two-run single to increase their lead to 8-1.

Despite a Kynadee Warner single in the sixth, the Racers could not mount a rally as the Bruins captured their second straight MVC title.

Karlye Graber (11-6) took the loss as the starter, pitching 5 2/3 innings and allowing four earned runs on seven hits while collecting three strikeouts. Raylee Roby and Bre Haislip both made appearances in the circle, allowing a pair of hits and runs each.

Adison Hicks went 1-for-3 with a home run, while Kynadee Warner and Parker Holcombe each added a hit.

Raylee Roby was recognized with the MVC Elite 18 Award, given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at the tournament. Karlye Graber, Adison Hicks, and Allie Waldron were each named to the All-Tournament Team.

MVC Softball All-Tournament Team
Niki Bode, Evansville
Katelyn Callahan, UNI
Emily Delgado, Southern Illinois
Madison Dolecki, Belmont
Karlye Graber, Murray State
Adison Hicks, Murray State
Nicole Hughes, Belmont
Maya Johnson, Belmont (MVP)
Paige McLeod, Illinois State
Hannah Meshnick, Illinois State
Rylee Spindler, Belmont
Allie Waldron, Murray State
Emily Williams, Southern Illinois

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