EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE blasted five home runs Monday on its way to an 11-4 win over Murray State to complete a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series sweep at Simmons Baseball Complex.

"We came out motivated today," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "You could sense it early on that guys were focused and ready to play. You always worry about a little bit of a letdown after you take the first two games of a series. I didn't sense that at all. I know the guys were focused and that the sweep was the only thing that was going to happen today."

The Cougars improved to a perfect 6-0 in OVC play and 6-9 overall while Murray State fell to 6-14 overall and 2-4 in the OVC.

All five of SIUE's home runs were two-run homers and came from four different players. The five home runs in a game is the most for the Cougars in the Division I era and the most they have hit in a single game since hitting five in a 2001 game against Tampa.

"We took good at-bats when it mattered today," Stoecklin said. "What do you say? Up and down the lineup we took some really good swings."

The Cougars finished with 15 total hits and three doubles to go along with the five home runs.

"Their starter struggled, but (reliever Cody Maerz) had good stuff and good numbers," Stoecklin added. "We kind of put the wood to him. We hit a pretty good arm around the park; that's a sign of good things."

John Lollar (1-2) started and allowed four runs on six hits over 2 1/3 innings to take the loss. Maerz allowed five runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings in relief. John Rafferty allowed two runs in just 1/3 of an inning. Cameron Wallace pitched the final 2/3 of an inning for Murray State.

Cougar catcher Parker Guinn led the charge, connecting on a pair of two-run homers in back-to-back at-bats in the third and fifth innings. Nick Lombardo, Alec Saikal, and Keaton Wright had the other home runs for the Cougars. Wright finished the game 3 for 5. Guinn and Lombardo each were 2 for 5. Saikal was 2 for 4. Dustin Woodcock was 3 for 4.

"They're just swinging the bats well," Stoecklin said. "They're confident, they know they can hit and it doesn't matter who's on the mound. They're just going to stay within their approach and take a good at-bat."  

Mike Miller started the game on the mound for SIUE. Miller allowed two runs on four hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two. P.J. Schuster (2-0) earned his second win in relief this season. Schuster allowed two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out a career-high eight hitters.

"I thought P.J. was fantastic. We needed that," Stoecklin said of the junior. "Mike Miller did a nice job and gave us four-plus innings and kept us in the ballgame, but P.J. really slammed the door."

Murray State finished with nine hits. Anthony Bayus, Derek Yoder, and Matt McGowan each had two hits for the Racers. McGowan and Bayus each had solo home runs in the loss.

"The key today was that we held their scoring innings to one run," Stoecklin said. "It wasn't the big five or six run innings like you can have on a day like today when the wind is blowing out."

SIUE heads back on the road for a three-game OVC series beginning Friday at Tennessee Tech.