Baseball Heads South to Orlando for First-Ever Meeting with UCF

Friday, March 6

Orlando, FL

5 p.m.

Murray State

UCF

Baseball Heads South to Orlando for First-Ever Meeting with UCF

3/5/2026 1:53:00 PM | Baseball

By: Sam Rhodes

Date (Time): March 6-8 (5 p.m., 5 p.m.,12 p.m. CT)
Site (Venue): Orlando, Fla.
Opponent: UCF Knights
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoRacers.com

Murray, Ky. – The Murray State baseball team looks to build on two consecutive weekend sweeps as it travels to Orlando, Florida, to take on the UCF Knights in a three-game series. This weekend marks the first meeting between the two programs.

The Racers are looking to bounce back after a 5-2 midweek loss at Middle Tennessee, marking just their third loss of the season.

Despite a quiet night at the plate against the Blue Raiders, the Murray State offense has found consistent production up and down the lineup. The Racers feature a Missouri Valley Conference-leading six players with 10 or more RBIs to begin the 2026 campaign.

The pitching staff has been highly efficient, posting a 5.19 team ERA that ranks second in the MVC.

Nic Schutte has anchored the rotation and lived up to preseason expectations. Schutte leads the MVC with three wins in as many starts and has recorded 18 strikeouts, ranking fourth in the conference.

The Racers have found power at the plate lately, hitting six home runs as a team over the last five games. Complementing that offensive production, Murray State has taken full advantage of its time on the basepaths, stealing 16 bases in 17 attempts across the same span. For the season, the Racers have successfully stolen 31 bases on 33 attempts.

This weekend will mark the first time the Racers face a Power 4 opponent in the 2026 season.

Scouting the Knights

UCF enters the weekend with a 6-5 overall record, including a solid 5-2 mark on its home turf. The Knights have been tested early this season, holding the 25th toughest strength of schedule in the country and sitting at 45th in the latest RPI rankings.

Projected to finish 10th in the Big 12 preseason poll, UCF currently sits in 11th place in the conference standings. The Knights' offense is highlighted by Andrew Williamson, the program's lone representative on the 2026 Big 12 Preseason Team. Williamson brings a hot bat into the weekend series, coming off a 4-for-5 performance at the plate that featured a grand slam in the Knights' midweek win over FGCU on Wednesday.

All three games this weekend will be streamed on ESPN+. For more information on the Murray State Baseball program, visit GoRacers.com or follow @RacersBaseball on X and Instagram.