Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Ohio
New-Look Racers Head to Carbondale for Season-Opening Series vs. Ohio
2/10/2026 11:41:00 AM | Baseball
Murray, Ky. – Murray State baseball will see its first action of the 2026 campaign this weekend, as the Racers face the Ohio Bobcats in the season's opening series. The games will be played at a neutral site in Carbondale, Illinois, due to renovations at Johnny Reagan Field.
The Racers open the season with a three-game series starting at 3 p.m. Friday. Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. finale Sunday. All games will be played at Itchy Jones Stadium on the Southern Illinois University campus. Due to the venue change, no broadcasts will be available for the series.
The Racers enter opening day with high expectations following a legendary run to the College World Series in 2025. Murray State was picked as the Missouri Valley Conference favorite by fellow MVC coaches, D1Baseball and Perfect Game. Following a historic 2025 postseason, head coach Dan Skirka enters the new season seeking to establish the Racers as a consistent force in the Missouri Valley Conference.
MSU faced significant roster turnover in the offseason, bringing 20 newcomers to Murray. Despite the new faces, Skirka and his staff added experience through the transfer portal, highlighted by Minnesota transfer Kristofer Hokenson and Old Dominion transfer Kainen Jorge.
The Racers lineup saw the most change ahead of the 2026 season, returning just two starters from 2025 in Conner Cunningham and Luke Mistone, both of whom were tabbed as Preseason MVC Players to Watch.
On the mound, coach Steve Adkins' group returns eight of its nine leading pitchers by innings pitched from 2025. The staff is led by 2025 First Team All-MVC selection and preseason MVC Pitcher of the Year Nic Schutte, along with Graham Kelham, the nation's No. 20-ranked relief pitcher.
The Bobcats and Racers have met only twice in program history, splitting a 2014 doubleheader. Remarkably, both games ended with identical 7-6 scores.
Scouting the Bobcats
Ohio begins the 2026 season by entering a new era of leadership, with newly hired head coach Andrew See taking the helm in Athens. See enters the 2026 season looking to revitalize his alma mater after the Bobcats finished 14-37 a year ago. He brings a revamped philosophy to Athens, highlighted by the addition of impact transfers like Tyler Stack, Will Henson, and Cameron Boyd to bolster a lineup seeking more consistency.
The Bobcats' defensive efforts will be anchored by junior right-hander Ethan Stewart, who served as a bright spot last season with a 1.80 ERA. While Ohio was picked eighth in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll, the combination of Stewart's arm and See's new leadership makes them a dangerous opening-weekend opponent for a Racer squad also navigating significant roster turnover.
For updates, visit GoRacers.com and follow Murray State Baseball on X and Instagram @RacersBaseball.
