EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE baseball pulled off the doubleheader sweep, defeating Northern Illinois 5-3 and 9-7 Saturday at Simmons Baseball Complex.

The Cougars have won three straight and four of their last five games and are 7-4. Northern Illinois dropped to 2-8.

"We told our guys after the game one win about how difficult it is to (sweep)," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "We've played two doubleheaders the last two weekends which have been splits. The second game today was a lot of perseverance and belief out of our guys."

SIUE opened the scoring early in the opener scoring two runs on three hits and a walk in the first four hitters against NIU starter Joe Hawks. Keaton Wright and Jared McCunn each drove in runs in the inning.

Aaron Goecks came up with the two on and nobody out with the chance to extend the Cougars' lead. Goecks lined a ball to the right side, where it was caught by NIU second baseman Brad Wood, who then stepped on second base forcing out Wright. He threw back to first base, catching McCunn off the base completing the triple play to end the inning.

The Huskies tied the game in the fifth with two runs on three hits against SIUE starter Brock Fulkerson.

The Cougars took advantage of three errors in the bottom of the inning to answer. Mario Tursi led off the inning and reached on an error. With two outs in the inning Alec Skender reached on an error which also allowed Tursi to score. Wright followed with a two-run home run to straight away center to put SIUE up 5-2.

Fulkerson improved to 1-1 with six innings of work. He allowed two runs on six hits. He did not walk a hitter and he struck out six.

Tristan Walters allowed a run in 2 1/3 innings, but struck out three to earn his first save.

"Brock has done a nice job," Lyons said. "He didn't have his plus-plus stuff today but he hung in there and kept grinding through the innings. Tristan did a nice job out of the pen."

Hawks fell to 0-2 with the loss. He allowed five runs, just two earned, on six hits. He struck out seven.

Wright finished the game 2 for 4 with the home run and three RBIs. McCunn was 3 for 4 with the RBI.

It was Northern Illinois who struck first in game two, scoring three times in the first inning against SIUE starter Danny Ehrsam. NIU catcher Joe Jumonville had two RBIs in the inning.

The Cougars responded with single runs in the first three innings. Jordan Stading had an RBI-double in the first inning and added a sacrifice fly for an RBI in the third.

The Huskies struck for four more runs in the fourth to lead 7-3, but SIUE was opportunistic again in the bottom of the inning.

Eric Giltz singled with one out in the inning. Dustin Woodcock doubled to left center to score Giltz and make it 7-4. With two outs in the inning, Wright hit a high fly ball into left which was dropped allowing Woodcock to score and continuing the inning to Brock Weimer. The sophomore catcher made the Huskies pay, driving his first career home run to center field to tie the game.

"We talk about playing clean baseball," Lyons said. "We were fortunate that they gave us a shot to extend the inning which brought Brock up. He made it hurt a little bit with the home."

It stayed 7-7 until the bottom of the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Skender came up against NIU reliever Ryne Blanton.

Skender fouled off several pitches before finally lining a hard two-run single over second base to put the Cougars up for good.

"Blanton came in and kept us in check there late," Lyons said. "Skender battled and grinded out an 'a-b.' He got a fastball down and just stroked it into center for two RBIs."

Hutchinson earned the win, his first as a Cougar, with four innings in relief. He allowed a run on six hits. He struck out two.

"Tyler Hutchinson righted the ship for us after Danny didn't have his best stuff in game two," Lyons added. "He gave us a chance."

The Huskies opened the eighth inning with back-to-back hits against reliever Mike Miller, before SIUE turned to right-hander Mason McReaken. McReaken retired the next three hitters in order, including a pair of strikeouts and then tossed a perfect ninth for his second save in as many days. He now has four for the season.

"We had to call on (Mason) a little earlier than we wanted to," Lyons said. "He was able to get some quick outs in the eighth and then come back out in the ninth and close the door."

The Cougars managed 12 hits in the late game. Skender, Weimer, Stading, McCunn and Giltz each had two hits for SIUE.

The Cougars will try for the four-game series sweep Sunday afternoon.

"We told the guys that the job's not done," Lyons said. "It's nice to know that you're going to bed with a series win, but wins are hard to come by.

"We've played three tight games with Northern Illinois," Lyons continued. "That's a good ballclub that we're battling tooth and nail and it will be a good one tomorrow."

First pitch Sunday is slated for 1 p.m.