Despite tallying only four hits, the Murray State baseball team won its 38th game of the season to advance to the Missouri Valley Conference championship game, defeating the University of Illinois Chicago Flames 5-2.

The Racers had to wait until the fifth inning before they scored. Redshirt senior outfielder Dan Tauken launched his eighth home run of the season to tie the game and break up the no-hit bid of UIC’s Brandon Bak.

After going down 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Murray State found a little run support. Graduate infielder Nico Bermeo drove in junior catcher Will Vierling to tie the game at two. Tauken came home to give the Racers a 3-2 lead as redshirt senior outfielder Jonathan Hogart reached base on a fielder’s choice, and Bermeo came home after redshirt senior outfielder Dustin Mercer flew out to left field.

Senior infielder Carson Garner scored the Racers’ fifth run in the eighth inning courtesy of his 16th homer of the year, which traveled 388 feet. Murray State called upon Jacob Hustedde to come in and finish the game on the mound. He recorded the final seven outs, with three of those being strikeouts.

Murray State will play the winner of Missouri State and UIC at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 24.