Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Butler
Baseball Set for Neutral-Site Series Against Butler
2/19/2026 1:37:00 PM | Baseball
 MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State will continue its neutral-site home games this weekend as it takes on the Butler Bulldogs in a three-game series. The Racers look to bounce back following a midweek loss at North Alabama.
Through four games in the 2026 season, MSU has batted .301 as a team and has scored 42 total runs, the most in the Missouri Valley Conference and 13 runs ahead of second-place Illinois State. The Racers lead the Valley in six offensive categories.
The Racers and Bulldogs have faced off three times, with MSU leading the all-time series 3-0. When the two programs took the field in 2022, Murray State scored 49 total runs across the weekend, with Sunday's game featuring 25 runs scored for MSU, the most in the Dan Skirka era at the time.
Players to Watch
Kainen Jorge
The senior transfer from Old Dominion wasted no time making an impact in a Racer uniform, earning Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week honors following the opening weekend. Jorge hit a blistering .462 (6-for-13) against Ohio, slugging .923 with 12 total bases. He enters the Butler series with massive momentum after a 3-for-5 performance in the series finale that left him just a single shy of the cycle.
Luke Mistone
Mistone has been a consistent engine for the Murray State offense through the first four games. He tied his career high with five RBIs in the season-opening 13-4 rout of Ohio. Even in the midweek loss to North Alabama, Mistone remained a bright spot, going 2-for-3 with an RBI to extend his hitting streak to four games. He already has three multi-hit performances on the young season and will be a tough out for the Bulldogs' pitching staff.
Nic Schutte
Looking to set the tone for the weekend, Schutte brings veteran stability to the mound. The right-hander picked up the win on Opening Day and carries the pedigree of a dominant 2025 campaign in which he led the Racers' staff with 97 strikeouts and 96 innings pitched. As Murray State looks to bounce back from Tuesday's free-pass struggles at North Alabama, Schutte's ability to command the strike zone will be crucial in neutralizing Butler's lineup.
Scouting the Bulldogs
Butler enters the weekend with a 2-3 record and a midweek road win over Illinois, defeating the Illini 10-8. The Bulldogs have swung hot bats to start their 2026 campaign, scoring double-digit runs in four of five games played thus far. Butler's lineup features six qualified hitters with averages over .300 and an offense led by junior Matthew Rhoades, who boasts four home runs on the year so far, the most of any player in the Big East.
Due to ongoing renovations at Johnny Reagan Field, there will be no live broadcast available for this weekend's series. Fans are encouraged to follow all the action pitch-by-pitch via live stats at GoRacers.com.
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