Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
16-8, 3-0
Valparaiso
6-13, 0-3
Racers Complete Sweep over Valparaiso with Sunday Shootout Win
3/22/2026 7:52:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With 13 runs scored on 14 hits, Murray State battled it's way to a 13-12 win over Valparaiso to complete the sweep in the opening MVC Series of the 2026 season.
"Just really good job to compete throughout." Head coach Dan Skirka said, "Obviously, it wasn't pretty, but at the end, a win's a win, and that's exactly what I told the guys. They stayed together, they just kept fighting, they maintained energy."
Nine players recorded at least one hit, with four hitters recording multi-hit games. Conner Cunningham lead the way with a three-hit day, driving in three runs and scoring twice. Cunningham's day featured his first homerun of the season alongside a double.
"It's awesome to see." Skirka said of Cunningham, "Just on the barrell, he drew a walk too, that was a really, really good at bat. The team feeds off of that, you know. When you see the way he's going it just likens our lineup."
After Valparaiso (6-13, 0-3 MVC) got on the board early with three runs in the third, Murray State (15-8, 3-0 MVC) had a loud and immediate response. After Cunningham's home run to lead off the inning, Colby Ott knocked a sacrifice fly and Luke Mistone hit an RBI single up the middle, setting up Kristofer Hokenson for a three-run blast, traveling 411 feet off the bat.
Valpo reclaimed the lead with a fourth inning rally with four straight hits and taking advantage of a wild pitch, reclaiming the lead at 7-6.
The Racers wasted no time with another response inning, batting around the order and plating five. Cunningham provided the big blow once again, clearing the bases with a two-run double to left. The Racers' disciplined approach at the plate proved just as lethal as their power, as Ott and Connor Chisolm both drew bases-loaded walks to keep the line moving.
Valparaiso (6-13, 0-3 MVC) refused to go quietly, launching a late-inning assault that nearly erased a six-run deficit with a four-run seventh and a run in the eighth to bring the game within one.
With the tension mounting in the ninth, the Racers turned to Dylan Zentko to slam the door. The left-hander was clinical, retiring the side in order on just 10 pitches to secure his sixth save of the season and finalize the series sweep.
"We knew it was going to be a fight." Skirka said, "You know they were going to show up ready to go today. So, just really proud of our guys handling that and competeing for nine innings."
Jackson Ugo (1-0) earned the win in relief, allowing two runs over 2.2 innings.
The Racers look forward to a midweek matchup with Kentucky, slated to be the Racers first ranked matchup of the season.
Box Score Notes
Conner Cunningham tied single-game career high in hits with three … Kristofer Hokenson tied career high in runs scored with three … Kingsley Guthrie tied career high in hits with three, hit second double of his career, first of the season … Murray State's 10th consecutive win over Valparaiso … Most total runs scored in a game against Valparaiso in matchup history.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lux, Jackson (1-0)
L: Dalton Swinehart (0-2)
S: Zentko, Dylan (6)
Batting:
2B: Cal Schembra 1 ; George Betevis 1 ; Eli Riley 2 ; Case Sullivan 2
3B: Case Sullivan 1
HR: Javin Gauthier 1 ; Thomas Cooper 1 ; Cal Schembra 1
RBI: Javin Gauthier 1 ; Thomas Cooper 1 ; Cal Schembra 1 ; Gavin Bennett 1 ; Eli Riley 1 ; Michael Kuska 1 ; Case Sullivan 4
SH: Eli Riley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Javin Gauthier 1 ; Thomas Cooper 1 ; Cal Schembra 1 ; George Betevis 1 ; Gavin Bennett 2 ; Eli Riley 2 ; Michael Kuska 2 ; Case Sullivan 2
CS: Cole Lockwood 1
Batting:
2B: Cunningham, Conner 1 ; Guthrie, Kingsley 1 ; Ott, Colby 1
HR: Hokenson, Kristofer 1 ; Cunningham, Conner 1
RBI: Chisolm, Connor 1 ; Mistone, Luke 1 ; Hokenson, Kristofer 3 ; Cunningham, Conner 3 ; Pena, Daylan 2 ; Ott, Colby 3
SF: Pena, Daylan 1 ; Ott, Colby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chisolm, Connor 1 ; Mistone, Luke 1 ; Hokenson, Kristofer 3 ; Cunningham, Conner 2 ; Pena, Daylan 2 ; Perritano, Anthony 2 ; Guthrie, Kingsley 2
SB: Hokenson, Kristofer 1
HBP: Mistone, Luke 1 ; Guthrie, Kingsley 1
