EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Brock Weimer's six RBIs and first career grand slam highlighted a 15-run onslaught Saturday, as the Cougars evened their series with Southeast Missouri with a 15-10 win at Simmons Baseball Complex.

SIUE enjoyed its strongest offensive day of the season with a season-high 15 runs on a season-best 18 hits to improve to 12-10 overall and 3-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Southeast Missouri, which had a four-game OVC winning streak snapped, fell to 11-9 overall and 4-4 in the OVC.

"The guys really bounced back today," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "We talked after yesterday's loss about being more aggressive early in the game. Guys did a nice job in doing that today."

SEMO took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against SIUE starter Nelson Martz.

The Cougars answered with single runs in the first and the second to tie the score.

Southeast took a 3-2 lead with a run in the third inning before the Cougars took over for good with the first of three four-run innings.

Weimer drove in a pair of runs to give the Cougars a 4-3 lead. Jordan Stading then drove in Jared McCunn, while beating out a squeeze bunt to first base. Aaron Goecks followed with a second squeeze to drive home Weimer, giving SIUE a 6-3 lead.

"We played a little small ball which worked to our advantage and we had a tight game until the sixth inning," Lyons said.

Mario Tursi singled in a run in the fifth inning to push the Cougars' lead to 7-3.

The Cougars loaded the bases in the sixth against SEMO reliever Chase Hagerty. Alec Skender and Keaton Wright singled to start the inning. Dustin Woodcock was intentionally walked to load the bases for Weimer. Weimer then connected on a 3-1 pitch to straight away center for the grand slam to make it 11-3.

Weimer finished the day 4 for 5 with the grand slam and six RBIs.

"Brock Weimer came up huge for us with the grand slam," Lyons said. "He's been swinging it well."

Wright and Stading each came up with RBIs and Dustin Woodcock drove home two with a double in a four-run seventh inning which extend the SIUE lead to 15-3.

Wright was 3 for 5 with an RBI. Stading finished the day 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Tursi was 2 for 5 with two RBIs. Skender was 4 for 4 with four runs scored. Dustin Woodcock was 1 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs.

"Alec Skender has been getting on a lot and Keaton and (Woodcock) are starting to heat up," Lyons added. "It was a good day offensively."

The Redhawks scored a run in the eighth before breaking out for six in the ninth to pull within five at 15-10.

Martz (3-2) settled in to throw six innings for SIUE and earn the win. He allowed three runs on five hits. He struck out three.

"He really didn't have his good stuff early on," Lyon said of his starter. "He was struggling with command. It was about the third inning when he started turning the corner. For him to gut through it and grind his way through and get six innings was big for us."

Southeast Missouri starter Justin Murphy allowed six runs on eight hits over 3 2/3 innings. He fell to 2-2 with the loss.

Tristen Gagen was 3 for 5 with four RBIs to lead the SEMO offense Saturday.

The Cougars and Redhawks will play the "rubber game" of the three-game set Sunday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

"After losing game one you have to come out swinging," Lyons said. "It's like a three-round boxing match. We each have a round with the pivotal game tomorrow afternoon."