EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – A five-run sixth inning was the difference Friday as SIUE picked up its fifth consecutive win, a 6-2 victory over Southeast Missouri in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both teams.

The Cougars have won six of their last seven games and improved to 6-4 overall and 1-0 in OVC play. SEMO slipped to 5-7 overall and 0-1 in league play.

"That's a really good way to start the weekend," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "For five innings that was two pitchers just going blow for blow. Both guys were pretty sharp."

SIUE starter David Llorens (2-1) and SEMO starter Dylan Dodd (1-1) each worked into the sixth inning. SEMO had a 2-1 lead when the Cougars got to Dodd in the sixth.

Raul Elguezabal led off the inning with a single to center. Ole Arntson followed with an RBI-double to left and Avery Owusu-Asiedu tripled to the gap in right center to put the Cougars ahead for good.

"We got a little bit of an opening and strung some hits together to break it open," Lyons said. "Avery came through with the big hit there to get us out in front."

Following a pitching change, Josh Ohl doubled down the left field line before Brett Johnson was hit by a pitch. Richie Well then lined a double to left to drive home both runners for the 6-2 advantage.

"In that inning we had a string of doubles down the line that busted it open," Lyons added. "It is good to see guys getting a pitch to hit and not missing it."

Dodd allowed four runs, three earned, on seven Cougar hits. He struck out 10 and walked one. The only run he allowed before the sixth was on a bases-loaded walk to Connor Kiffer in the fifth. He allowed only four hits over the first five innings.

"We knew what we were up against," Lyons continued. "Dodd is a talented arm. He showed that early on. When you face a number one arm, you just have to keep grinding through at-bats. The thing about tonight is that David (Llorens) gave us that opportunity to be in it in those middle innings."

Llorens worked six innings to pick up his second straight win. He gave up two runs on three hits. He stuck out eight and walked three.

"It was a great effort by David Llorens today," Lyons said.

Tyler Bastunas earned his first save of the season with three scoreless innings in relief.

"Tyler did a great job," Lyons said. "He has done that a couple of time this year. The key is pounding the strike zone. Today he was very efficient in what he was doing."

Elguezabal and John Stallcup each finished with a pair of hits for SIUE, which put up nine hits.

"We got some really big hits out of several guys today," Lyons said. "John Stallcup had a couple of really big at-bats to ignite some things."

The Cougars and Redhawks will complete the series with a doubleheader Saturday at Simmons Complex. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.