Murray State University Athletics

Racers Close Home Schedule by Splitting With Salukis
4/21/2026 7:27:00 PM | Softball
Murray State Returns at Illinois State
The Murray State Racers (20-21, 11-9 MVC) split a pair of games with the Southern Illinois Salukis (29-15, 18-6 MVC) in the home finale for Murray State on Tuesday.
Following the doubleheader, the Salukis remain second in the MVC standings, behind only Belmont. Meanwhile, the Racers are fifth in the conference, right behind Northern Iowa.
Game 1: SIU 4, Murray State 3
The first game of the afternoon got off to a quiet start, as neither team managed to plate a run in the opening two innings.
Southern Illinois got the scoring started in the third with an RBI double to go ahead 1-0. Murray State immediately responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a Parker Holcombe RBI single.
The Salukis added another run in the fourth on an error before the Racers answered again in the fifth. Adison Hicks blasted a deep two-RBI home run to left field to give the Racers a 3-2 lead.
The Salukis struck right back in the sixth with a two-run shot of their own to take a 4-3 lead. The Racers were unable to score in the final two innings, and the Salukis claimed the win in the series opener.
Bre Haislip (9-8) took the loss as the starter, pitching five innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits, walking three, and striking out one Saluki batter. Raylee Roby pitched two innings in relief and struck out two, allowing no hits and no runs.
Adison Hicks went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, and Kynadee Warner went 2-for-4. Parker Holcombe had one hit and one RBI, while Ava Ozment and Reagan Towns had one hit each.
Game 2: Murray State 3, SIU 0
The second game got off to a slow start, much like the first, as neither team was able to plate a run in the opening two innings yet again.
This time, it was Parker Holcombe who lit up the scoreboard for the first time, with a double to the wall that scored Adison Hicks to put the Racers ahead 1-0.
Kynadee Warner got things started for the Racers in the fifth, floating the ball just over the left fielder's head and all the way into the corner for a stand-up triple. Adison Hicks followed her up with a triple of her own that scored Warner and made it 2-0 in favor of the Racers.
Holcombe got involved again in the fifth, bunting for an RBI single that scored Adison Hicks to put the cherry on top of a 3-0 Murray State win.
Holcombe and Hicks were both perfect at the plate as Holcombe went 3-for-3 with two RBI and a double, and Hicks went 2-for-2 with an RBI, a triple, and two runs scored. Kynadee Warner went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored.
Karlye Graber (6-5) earned the win as a reliever, pitching 3 2/3 innings, allowing just three hits, and striking out one Saluki. Raylee Roby made her second appearance of the day as the starter, allowing two hits and striking out two in 3 1/3 innings before being removed after being hit by a batted ball.
Up Next
The Racers continue the MVC schedule with a weekend series at Illinois State. They will open the series with a doubleheader on Friday, April 24, at 2 p.m. CDT before wrapping up the following day at 2 p.m. CDT.
Follow the Racers on X (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics), and Facebook to stay up to date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics. Follow Murray State Softball on X and Instagram (@RacersSoftball).
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Emily Delgado (9-4)
L: Haislip, Bre (9-8)
Batting:
2B: Emily Williams 1 ; Amanda Knutson 2
HR: Hayden Kurtz 1
RBI: Emily Williams 1 ; Hayden Kurtz 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Sage Grann 1 ; Amanda Knutson 1 ; Hayden Kurtz 2
SB: Mikaela Coburn 1
PO: Amanda Knutson 1

Batting:
HR: Hicks, Adison 1
RBI: Hicks, Adison 2 ; Holcombe, Parker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Warner, Kynadee 2 ; Hicks, Adison 1
HBP: Broemmer, Bailey 1 ; Huels , Katy 1




















