Racers Host Valparaiso For Final Missouri Valley Home Series

Date (Time): May 10-12 (5 p.m. CT, 5 p.m. CT, 2 p.m. CT)
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Reagan Field)
Opponent: Valparaiso Beacons
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
All-Time Record vs. Valparaiso: 7-5

The Racers are set to take on the Valparaiso Beacons for their final Missouri Valley Conference weekend May 10-12 at Reagan Field in Murray, Kentucky.

The weekend series is the first time the Racers play the Beacons at home as MVC opponents. MSU won three of the four meetings between the two programs in 2023; the Racers secured the regular-season series at Valparaiso and won the opening round of the MVC tournament against the Beacons.

First pitches this weekend are set for 5 p.m. CT on May 10, 5 p.m. CT on May 11 and 2 p.m. CT on May 12.

Scouting Report
The Beacons enter the weekend with a 14-31 record under head coach Brian Schmack. Schmack, who is in his 11th season leading the Valparaiso baseball program, has amassed a career record of 202-325 since his arrival in 2014.

The Beacons are coming off a series loss to Evansville at home and have won just two of their last 10 games. Kyle Schmack has been one of Valparaiso's key offensive pieces in 2024. He leads the team in runs, base hits, home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, total bases and has the third-highest batting average on the team.

The Valparaiso pitching staff is led by Josh Cottrill, Connor Lockwood and Grant Jablonski. The trio are the only pitchers on the roster to have recorded at least two wins on the mound this year. Lockwood, who carries a 2-3 record, leads the team with 45 strikeouts through 53 1/3 innings of work. With a team-best three wins, Jablonski has been one of the Beacons' most important bullpen arms with 16 appearances and just one start with 40 1/3 innings on the mound.

Weekly Notes
The Racers are coming off securing their first win over an SEC team on the road since 2021, defeating Ole Miss in a 15-inning thriller by a score of 12-9 in Oxford, Mississippi. With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 15th, Drew Vogel belted the go-ahead grand slam that secured the win for Murray State after playing nearly a six-hour game.

With Taylor Howell's home run in the sixth inning he brings his season total to 18, which is just four homers shy of tying the program record. Wes Cunningham set the current single-season home run record with 22 in the 2010 season.

Murray State has matched their win total of 31 in 2024 with Wednesday's victory at Ole Miss, and are just two wins shy of tying the most wins in a season under head coach Dan Skirka. Prior to 2021, the Racers recorded a 34-win season in 2009 under Rob McDonald. The most wins in program history in a season is 40 wins under Murray State legend and coach Johnny Reagan in 1975, which is also Murray State's only 40-win season in program history.

For more information on the Murray State baseball program, visit GoRacers.com or @RacersBaseball on Instagram and X.

Racers Host Valparaiso For Final Missouri Valley Home Series

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Players Mentioned

Taylor Howell

Drew Vogel

Murray State University