Racers Score Two in Ninth to Spoil Saluki Comeback

Sunday, April 26

3 PM

Southern Illinois University

17-25, 8-7

Murray State

26-18, 12-6

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

Charlie Miller throws a pitch during Southern Illinois' 7-5 loss to Murray State Sunday, April 26, 2026, at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.

Photo by: Zuzanna Gaik

04/26/2026 | 7:47:00 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Jordan Kruse, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois seemed primed for another comeback effort, but Murray State pushed across two runs in the top of the ninth and eventually won Sunday's game to take two of three at Itchy Jones Stadium.

Both Sunday starters got in trouble early, as the Racers got on the board with an RBI fielder's choice, but Cecil Lofton brought in two with a single in the bottom of the inning to put Southern up 2-1 after the first.

Connor Chisolm had three RBIs on two triples in the second and fourth innings, and his Racers led 5-2 in the fourth before Kaleb Hall got a run back for Southern on an RBI double. Hall entered the game at first base in the top of the fourth for an injured Cecil Lofton.

The Racers were held scoreless for four straight innings thanks to a big effort from Saluki reliever Charlie Miller. The sophomore threw 4.1 scoreless frames out of the bullpen and struck out four. He has not allowed a run in his last three appearances, throwing 9.2 innings over that stretch.

Murray's Reece Oakley was key in his own right, blanking the Salukis through his first three innings out of the bullpen before being removed with runners on second and third in the eighth.

Looking for a bounce-back performance, Racer closer Dylan Zentko entered the game needing one more out in the eighth, but Gabe Petrucelli made sure his tough weekend continued as he ripped a two-run double to tie the game.

With the game now tied in the ninth, the Saluki bullpen reverted to a forgettable version of itself, allowing a hit-by-pitch, a wild pitch, a single, a stolen base and a walk to begin the inning and load the bases. Dawson Hargrove did his best to clean up the mess, but a passed ball on a strikeout put the Racers back in front. They collected an insurance run on a sacrifice fly to center field and retook a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Zentko received a chance at redemption, needing three outs to secure a series win. He struck out the first batters and induced back-to-back lineouts to quell another SIU comeback win.

Jack MacIntosh (L, 5-6) took the loss for SIU.

The Salukis drop to 17-25 overall and 8-7 in Missouri Valley Conference play, fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference.

UP NEXT
Southern will try to pick up a midweek victory when it travels to Lindenwood Tuesday, April 28. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

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