EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The SIUE softball team got its Ohio Valley Conference season started in style Saturday afternoon, cruising to a pair of lopsided victories over Austin Peay at Cougar Field.

The Cougars (8-14, 2-0 OVC) needed just six innings to defeat the Lady Govs in both games of Saturday's doubleheader, securing a 10-2 victory in the first matchup before blanking the visitors 8-0 in the second game.

After beginning the season with 20 games on the road, SIUE was excited to be back on its home turf.

"We were very happy to play at home," Head Coach Sandy Montgomery said.  "It was nice to hit on the field during warm-ups.  That really paid off for us because we hit all the way through the lineup today."

In first game of the day, SIUE broke a 0-0 tie with RBIs from Kayla Riggs and Chelsea Yankolovich in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The Lady Govs got two runs back in the top of the fifth, but the hosts took control down the stretch.  The Cougars scored eight unanswered runs between the fifth and sixth innings, with six different SIUE players contributing RBIs over that span.

Riggs led the charge for the Cougars, going 4-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

"Kayla was on fire today," Montgomery said.  "She really led us offensively."

The Cougars picked up where they left off in game two, as senior Jill Rackers set the tone with a solo home run over the left field fence in the third inning.  The homer was Rackers' first of her career.

"It was great to see Jill hit that home run," Montgomery said.  "She's feeling good right now and is really swinging the bat well."

Rackers would add another RBI in the fourth inning, before the Cougars plated three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.  Alex McDavid was one of a number of players who contributed, going 2-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.

"Everybody hit the ball hard today, and we got timely hits when we needed them," Montgomery said.  "That's what you need to win ball games."

Not to be lost in SIUE's offensive outburst was the work done by the Cougar pitchers in both games Saturday. 

Erin Greenwalt allowed just two runs, none earned, on two hits to go with six strikeouts in game one.  Haley Chambers followed suit in the second game, shutting out the Lady Govs while tossing 11 strikeouts.

"Erin and Haley were both on their game today," Montgomery added.  "We had a good scouting report on Austin Peay's hitters, and they executed their pitches.  Our pitchers performed very well today."