Guerrero has Four RBIs in Return, Habuda Walks Off Racers

Saturday, April 25

2 PM

Southern Illinois University

17-24, 8-6

Murray State

25-18, 11-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Murray St.	0	0	2	0	0	1	2	1	0	6	10	2
Southern Ill.	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	1	3	7	10	0

Bryce Habuda celebrates his walk-off RBI with teammates after Southern Illinois' 7-6 win over Murray State Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.

Photo by: Saluki Athletic Communications

04/25/2026 | 7:58:00 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Jordan Kruse, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Bryce Habuda's walk-off RBI punctuated a big day for the return of Julio Guerrero in a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over Murray State Saturday at Itchy Jones Stadium. The ninth-inning walk-off is Southern's second of the season and the first at Itchy Jones Stadium.

Guerrero was in the starting nine for the first time since March 31 and made his presence felt early and often. The Racers struck first off Troy Shepard with two in the third, but Guerrero quickly got one back with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the inning. He delivered another clutch two-out knock, floating a ball into left center to score two runs and give SIU its first lead of the weekend.

Shepard settled down and still finished with a quality start despite Murray tying the game in the sixth. The Washington State transfer followed his 12-strikeout performance last Saturday with six full innings pitched and three earned runs allowed.

Ben Rosin provided a big performance out of Murray State's bullpen, blanking Southern through his first 3.1 innings pitched and setting the table for his team to tack on three between the seventh and eighth innings and lead 6-3. He collected the first two outs of the eighth, but he dropped the ball in an attempt to cover first base for the third out, and Tim Simay made him pay. The redshirt senior ripped an RBI double to the left-center gap to score the unearned run, and ended his day.

Entering the weekend tied for the MVC's lead in saves, Dylan Zentko got the final out of the eighth to hold his team's lead at two entering the ninth.

The Salukis made life difficult for the left-hander from the very beginning in the bottom of the ninth. Jacob McKenzie made his first appearance since April 4, and drew a leadoff walk as a pinch hitter. Kristian Sprawling singled, then a pinch-hit double from Kyle Mager brought the deficit down to one. Still with none out, Murray State brought the infield in, and Julio Guerrero blooped a ball right over the defenders to tie the game and tally his fourth run of the game. Carter Boyd relieved Zentko with runners on the corners in a 6-6 game, still looking for the first out. Boyd struck out the first batter he faced as Bryce Habuda stepped to the plate. Looking to turn a double play and send the contest to extras, Boyd seemed to get exactly what he was looking for, but a rare bobble on a ground ball from Colby Ott allowed pinch-runner Jackson Dibble to score and complete the comeback for SIU.

Guerrero finished as Southern's top offensive performer with three hits and four RBIs in his return to the lineup. Jack MacIntosh (W, 5-5) earned his fifth victory of the season.

UP NEXT
Southern Illinois will look to capitalize on the momentum and win the series Sunday, April 26. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on ESPNU.

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