Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
17-9, 4-0
Bradley
5-20, 1-3
Racers Secure Best MVC Start Since 1999 with Dominant Shutout at Bradley
3/28/2026 5:43:00 PM | Baseball
PEORIA, Ill – Behind a career day from Jacob Hustedde and another offensive explosion, Murray State defeated Bradley (5-21, 1-4 MVC) 11-0 in seven innings Saturday at Dozer Park. With the win, the Racers improved to 5-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play, marking their best start to conference action since 1999.
Hustedde set a new career high in strikeouts with 11, surpassing his previous high of seven and eclipsing that mark by the fourth inning. In six innings of shutout action, Hustedde allowed only two hits and two walks.
Colby Ott continued his stellar play this season, giving the Racers an early lead in the second inning with a two-RBI double. Kristofer Hokenson provided the game's dagger in the fifth inning with the second grand slam of his career, his first as a Racer, bringing the Murray State lead to 10 at the time. Hokenson finished his day 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
Murray State (18-9, 5-0 MVC) took full advantage of free passes, drawing 10 walks as a team. Kainen Jorge led the pack with three walks and a hit-by-pitch. Kingsley Guthrie showcased his athleticism with a triple to right field before promptly stealing home. Guthrie finished with two runs scored and two RBIs.
How it Happened
After a scoreless opening frame, the Racers jumped in front in the top of the second. Daylan Pena led off with a walk and Kingsley Guthrie followed by being hit by a pitch to put two on with nobody out. After a groundout moved both runners into scoring position, Colby Ott delivered a two-run double down the right-field line to give Murray State a 2-0 lead.
Hustedde kept the Bradley bats at bay throughout the middle innings, striking out the side in the third and fanning another in a 1-2-3 fourth to protect the narrow lead.
The floodgates opened in the fifth as the Racers sent 14 batters to the plate to score nine runs on six hits. Kris Hokenson and Conner Cunningham sparked the rally with back-to-back hits before Guthrie cleared the bases with a triple to right. Moments later, Guthrie padded the lead by stealing home to make it 5-0.
Murray State continued to pressure the Braves' bullpen, using three walks to load the bases for Hokenson's second grand slam of the year with a towering shot that pushed the advantage to 10-0. Pena added the final touch with an RBI single to left to cap the nine-run outburst.
Hustedde finished his masterful performance by striking out two more in a scoreless sixth before handing the ball to Preston Chaudoin. Chaudoin worked around a one-out single in the seventh to secure the shutout and the Racers' fifth consecutive conference win.
On Deck
The Racers look to complete the sweep and move to 6-0 in MVC action tomorrow in the seires finale with the first pitch slated for 1 p.m. central.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hustedde, Jacob ()
L: Calen Scheider ()
Batting:
2B: Cunningham, Conner 1 ; Ott, Colby 1
3B: Guthrie, Kingsley 1
HR: Hokenson, Kristofer 1
RBI: Mistone, Luke 1 ; Hokenson, Kristofer 4 ; Pena, Daylan 1 ; Guthrie, Kingsley 2 ; Ott, Colby 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Chisolm, Connor 1 ; Mistone, Luke 1 ; Hokenson, Kristofer 2 ; Jorge, Kainen 1 ; Cunningham, Conner 1 ; Pena, Daylan 1 ; Guthrie, Kingsley 2 ; Slade, Jake 1 ; Ott, Colby 1
SB: Guthrie, Kingsley 1
HBP: Hokenson, Kristofer 1 ; Jorge, Kainen 1 ; Guthrie, Kingsley 1
Base Running:
SB: Michael Quick 1
