Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
31-25, 15-9
Evansville
20-31, 13-11
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murray St. | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 15 | 2 |
| Evansville | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
Hokenson's Three-Homer Day Powers Racers Past Aces to Clinch Regular Season Finale
5/16/2026 6:03:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Kristofer Hokenson crushed three home runs to guide Murray State to a 12-5 victory over Evansville on Saturday afternoon, securing the final series of the 2026 regular season.
Hokenson's historic performance made him the first Racer to hit three home runs in a conference game since Murray State joined the Missouri Valley Conference, and the first to record a three-homer game since Bryson Bloomer and Drew Vogel both accomplished the feat on April 23, 2022, versus Eastern Illinois. Hokenson was just inches away from making it a four-homer day, after Evansville's right fielder took one away with a robbery in the top of the seventh.
In addition to Hokenson's three long balls, Parker Airhart and Conner Cunningham each launched solo shots of their own to bring the Racers' home run total on the day to five. The five home runs mark the program's highest single-game output versus a Division I opponent since Murray State hit six against Illinois State on April 28, 2024.
Murray State (31-25, 15-9 MVC) totaled nine home runs across the three-game stretch, marking its most as a team in an MVC series since joining the league.
Connor Chisolm, Luke Mistone, and Kainen Jorge joined Hokenson, Airhart, and Cunningham with multi-hit performances, while Hokenson was the lone Racer to collect three hits.
Reese Oakley was masterful out of the bullpen, tossing 6 2/3 innings of scoreless relief while allowing just one hit and striking out three to earn his third victory of the season.
How It Happened
The Aces (20-31, 13-11 MVC) jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the second, stringing together a leadoff double and three consecutive singles to cross four runs and build a quick 4-0 advantage.
The Racers responded immediately in the top of the third. After Colby Ott crossed the plate on a Kainen Jorge RBI double to break the ice, Daylan Pena lined out to bring up Hokenson, who launched a towering three-run blast to right field to tie the ballgame. Conner Cunningham followed with a back-to-back solo shot to left, capping a six-run explosion to flip the script and give Murray State a 6-4 lead.
Evansville scratched a run back in the bottom half of the frame with a sacrifice fly to trim the deficit to 6-5. Facing a bases-loaded threat with only one out, Oakley entered from the bullpen and induced a crucial popup to escape further damage and hold the lead.
Following a quiet fourth frame, Murray State broke the game open with a four-run outburst on five hits in the top of the fifth, which was highlighted by Hokenson's second home run of the afternoon, to extend the cushion to 10-5.
The Racers capitalized on an Evansville fielding miscue to tack on an unearned insurance run in the seventh before Hokenson put the definitive stamp on his historic day, smashing a solo shot in the top of the ninth to seal the 12-5 series-clinching win. Oakley completely neutralized the Aces' bats down the stretch, retiring the host squad with ease to finish off his brilliant 6 2/3 frames of one-hit relief.
Box Score Notes
Kristofer Hokenson set single-game career highs in home runs (3) and RBIs (6) while tying a career high with three hits ... Reese Oakley's 6 2/3 innings pitched marked a single-game career high ... Murray State's five home runs are its most in a single game during the 2026 season ... The nine series home runs are the most by the program in an MVC series since joining the conference
On Deck
The bracket for the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship is officially set. Entering the tournament as the No. 3 seed, the Racers are slated to host the No. 6 seed Illinois State Redbirds on Wednesday, May 20 at 3 p.m. Every tournament game will be played at Johnny Reagan Field at Taylor Family Park with live streaming coverage available on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Oakley, Reese (3-3)
L: Jack Willhite (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Jorge, Kainen 1 ; Pena, Daylan 1 ; Cunningham, Conner 1 ; Ott, Colby 1
HR: Hokenson, Kristofer 3 ; Cunningham, Conner 1 ; Airhart, Parker 1
RBI: Jorge, Kainen 1 ; Pena, Daylan 2 ; Hokenson, Kristofer 6 ; Cunningham, Conner 1 ; Airhart, Parker 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Mistone, Luke 2 ; Jorge, Kainen 2 ; Pena, Daylan 1 ; Hokenson, Kristofer 3 ; Cunningham, Conner 1 ; Perritano, Anthony 1 ; Airhart, Parker 1 ; Ott, Colby 1
SB: Perritano, Anthony 1
HBP: Jorge, Kainen 1
Batting:
2B: Spike Magill 1 ; Reagan Reeder 1
RBI: Charlie Longmeier 1 ; Spike Magill 1 ; Cooper Rhodes 1 ; Ryan Seddon 2
SF: Ryan Seddon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Reagan Reeder 2 ; Cooper Rhodes 1 ; Harrison Taubert 1 ; Ryan Seddon 1
SB: Reagan Reeder 1
HBP: Cooper Rhodes 1 ; Harrison Taubert 1
