Racers Meet Bruins - Open MVC Tournament Play - Murray State University Athletics

Murray State Baseball takes on the Belmont Bruins in their first game as the No. 1 seed Wednesday (May 21) at 4 p.m. in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship at Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Illinois.

The Racers learned of their opponent when the Bruins defeated Bradley Wednesday morning in a game that started at 9 a.m. The MVC Baseball postseason party is sponsored by Credit Union 1.

Belmont won the game 11-7 over Bradley when they had 16 hits including a home run and a pair of doubles from shortstop Landon Godsey.

The Racers and Bruins MVC series in Nashville was played May 9-11, where the Racers won the first two games 7-3 and 8-1 behind the pitching of their two aces, Nic Schutte and Isaac Silva. In MVC Earned Run Average, Silva is first at 3.34 and Schutte is fourth at 3.75. The Bruins won the third game 4-3 in 10 innings.

MVC Tournament Notes

Murray State was 35-13 overall and 17-8 in the MVC games and won their last eight MVC series.
MSU has the program's first run of five-straight 30-win seasons under Head Coach Dan Skirka.
The Racers will play the 3 p.m. game Wednesday (May 21) vs the winner of No. 6 Belmont vs No. 7 Bradley, which is the second game of the tournament (May 20) at 5:30 p.m.
If the Racers win, they'd advance to a Thursday (May 22) game vs the winner of No. 3 Southern Illinois vs No. 4 UIC at 3 p.m.
2025 marks the 70th staging of the MVC Tournament as the event has gone from a series between divisional winners to what we have today with multiple teams and days of games.
Recent champions of the MVC Tournament include Evansville (2024), Indiana State (2023), Missouri State (2022), Dallas Baptist (2021) *former member, and Indiana State (2019), and Missouri State (2018).
The Racers were the No. 2 seed in 2024 and the No. 6 seed in their first season in the MVC in 2023.
Murray State is seeking it's first conference tournament title since Mike Thieke's 2003 won the OVC Tournament title in Paducah, Ky.
In 2003, MSU played in the Hattiesburg Regional and lost to Baylor and Southern Miss.
If the Racers can win the MVC Tournament, it will mark their fourth trip to the NCAAs, following appearances in 1975, 1979 and 2003.

2025 MVC Baseball Championship
Schedule for Tuesday (May 20)
Game 1: No. 5 Illinois State def. No. 8 Indiana State 14-4 (8 inn.)

Schedule for Wednesday (May 21)
Game 2: No. 6 Belmont def. No. 7 Bradley 11-7
Game 3: No. 3 Southern Illinois vs. No. 4 UIC – 12:30 p.m. CT
Game 4: No. 1 Murray State vs. No. 6 Belmont – 4 p.m. CT
Game 5: No. 2 Missouri State vs. No. 5 Illinois State – 7:30 p.m. CT

Schedule for Thursday (May 22)
Game 6: Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 5 – 11 a.m. CT
Game 7: Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 – 3 p.m. CT
Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 – 7 p.m. CT

Schedule for Friday (May 23)
Game 9: TBD – 11 a.m. CT
Game 10: TBD – 3 p.m. CT
Game 11: TBD – 7 p.m. CT

Schedule for Saturday (May 24)
Game 12: Championship – 3 p.m. CT
Game 13: If necessary game – 7 p.m. CT

Follow the Racers on Twitter (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics. Follow MSU Baseball on Twitter (@MSUBaseball) and on Instagram.

Murray State University

Racers Meet Bruins - Open MVC Tournament Play

Players Mentioned

Nic Schutte

Related Videos