EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Reagan Curtis scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth of the nightcap Saturday as SIUE softball earned a split with Southeast Missouri at Cougar Field.

SIUE won the nightcap 4-3 after dropping the opener 14-1.

Tied 3-3 in the sixth, Curtis opened the eighth inning with a single and moved to second on a single to left field by Bailley Concatto. After a bunt sacrifice by Alana Cobb-Adams moved up the runners, Curtis scored easily on a wild pitch by Southeast Missouri reliever Marisa Davis.

SIUE Interim Head Coach Jessica Jones said she told her team to play with passion.

"Finally we turned the corner," said Jones. "That second game was SIUE softball."

The run gave SIUE the lead for the second time in the game. SIUE opened the scoring in the third inning when Abby Marlow drew a walk  off SEMO starter Alexis Estes with the bases loaded. Zoe Schafer's fielder's choice would score Alyssa Heren later in the inning.

The Cougars, 10-16 overall and 2-4 in OVC play, added another run in the fifth on a Marlow sacrifice fly, scoring Heren once again from third.

Jones praised Heren's play not only offensively but defensively.

"There's been more than a handful of games that has ended a game with one of her catches," Jones said.

SEMO tied the game in the top of the sixth with RBI hits from Kaylee Anderson, Sarah Messex and Mykaela Arellanes.

That set up the eventual game winner for SIUE pitcher Corrina Rivas, who battled in both games Saturday. She went the distance in the nightcap, allowing 11 hits and striking out two. Rivas is now 5-7.

"I was wanting to get my team a win," said Rivas. "I was wanting to put my team in a good place. It was about me being selfess and doing it for the team."

"It's really hard to beat a good team when they go through their lineup four times," Jones said of Rivas. "The fact that she battled through that and she got them to miss hits with her spins was great."

Catcher Sydney Bina provided a key moment in the top of the seventh, throwing out SEMO's Rachel Anderson. That provided enough momentum for the victory.

"That play was phenomenal. It was a game changer as well," added Jones.

Southeast Missouri, 28-9 overall and 6-2 in the OVC, collected 12 hits in the opener. Nine of the Redhawks' hits went for extra bases.

The Cougars avoided the shutout in the sixth as Heren scored from third off a SEMO fielding error.

Haley Thogmartin, 12-3, picked up the win for SEMO with six strikeouts to her credit.

"We know we have the ability to bounce back at any time," added Heren. "We hadn't been doing it lately but were able to today.