EVANSVILLE, Ind. (Interstat) — Luke Mistone hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning to cap a 15-10 victory for Murray State over Evansville on Friday night at Charles H. Braun Stadium, avenging a loss to the Purple Aces a day earlier.

The Racers pounded out 21 hits and built a 15-3 lead before Evansville scored seven runs in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to five. Mistone, a first baseman, finished 3-for-6 with a home run and five runs batted in, leading a Murray State offense that had five players with multiple hits.

Parker Airhart went 5-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs, and Connor Chisolm was 5-for-7 with two RBIs. Colby Ott added four hits in five at‑bats with an RBI, and Kris Hokenson homered and drove in two runs.

Murray State took control early, scoring twice in the third inning on Airhart’s two-run single and then adding three more runs in the inning on a single by Ott, an RBI single by Chisolm and a sacrifice fly from Mistone. The Racers stretched the lead to 7-0 in the fifth on a solo home run by Hokenson and a solo shot by Airhart, then scored four more runs in the frame on a two-run double by Mistone and a bases‑loaded walk by Hokenson.

Evansville got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Ryan Seddon hit a two-run homer, but Murray State answered with two runs in the sixth on Chisolm’s RBI double and a hit batter to make it 15-3.

The Purple Aces rallied in the sixth, scoring seven runs on six hits and three walks. Seddon doubled in two runs, Aaron Nehls singled in a run, Spike Magill drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Drew McConnell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run. The inning cut the deficit to 15-10.

Mistone’s three-run homer in the ninth, his second of the game, provided the final margin. Evansville went quietly in the bottom of the ninth.

Jacob Hustedde started for Murray State and pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing no hits and three earned runs while striking out six. Dylan Zentko, Ben Rosin and Jack Wajda combined for 3 2/3 innings of relief, with Zentko throwing 1 1/3 hitless innings with one strikeout. Rosin allowed one earned run over 1 2/3 innings, and Wajda retired the only two batters he faced.

Evansville’s Seddon drove in four runs, going 2-for-4 with a home run. Cooper Rhodes doubled and scored twice, and Reid Haire had two hits and two runs scored. The Purple Aces used five pitchers, with starter Tanner Graham lasting three innings.

Murray State improved to 29-25 overall and won its second game in its last six outings. The Racers entered the game after a 10-6 loss to Evansville on Thursday. Evansville fell to 20-30.

The victory was the third in four games for the Racers, who had lost three of their previous four before Friday’s outburst. Murray State’s offense had been inconsistent in recent weeks, scoring six runs or fewer in seven of its previous eight games.

Evansville had won its previous two games, including a 10-6 decision over Murray State in the series opener Thursday. The Purple Aces’ pitching staff had held opponents to five runs or fewer in three of their last four games before Friday’s offensive explosion by the Racers.

The two teams meet again Saturday in the final game of the series. Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Murray State 4, Evansville 3, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Murray State a 61.00 percent probability to win.