EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE (14-7, 1-1 OVC) split a pair of games with Southeast Missouri (11-14, 1-1 OVC) on Saturday at Simmons Baseball Complex. SEMO grabbed game one 7-5 before the Cougars took game two, 5-4.

"It's a good feeling to leave the field with a split," Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "The game one loss was tough to swallow. I'm really proud of the way we bounced back and stuck together in the second game."

In game one, both sides remained scoreless until SEMO scored a run in both the third and fourth inning to lead 2-0. Kyle Ratliff tied the game in the bottom half of the fourth with a two-run homer over the centerfield fence.

In the sixth, Avery Owusu-Asiedu tallied the Cougars' second blast of the day, a two-run homer to give SIUE a 4-2 lead. Drew Mize brought home SIUE's third run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Ratliff to score from third for a three run lead at 5-2.

SIUE entered the ninth inning leading by two runs before SEMO tallied five in the top half. The Cougars went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half for a 7-5 final in favor of the Redhawks.

"The game played out pretty much how we wanted to," added Lyons. "Zeus Ponder has answered that bell for us plenty of times this season. Today just wasn't his day and SEMO got momentum rolling."

Jake Bockenstedt started the game and went six and two third innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while fanning seven.

"Bock did a really nice job," Lyons said. "He gave us an opportunity to win the ballgame. He set the tone for us."

The Cougars offense went to work early in game two, taking the first run of the game in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single from Ole Arntson to drive home Brennan Orf.

SEMO took three runs in the second before the Cougars' offense went back to work in the third, scoring a pair on a two-run homer by Orf.

Both sides remained silent offensively until Brady Bunten doubled to center, allowing Orf to score for a 4-3 lead.

In the seventh, SEMO tied the game at four on an RBI single. Tied at four in the bottom of the eighth, Ratliff hit his second homer of the day to give SIUE the go-ahead run entering the ninth.

With runners on first and second with one away, Tyler DeLong forced the Redhawks into back-to-back flyouts to end the game. 

"He's come up with some big hits in the last couple of weeks," said Lyons on Ratliff. "He's settled in and is doing a nice job of things offensively. I'm really happy for him to get that big hit."

Teague Conrad started game two for SIUE and tossed six and a third innings, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two.

"Conrad gutted it out and grinded over his six innings of work," said Lyons. "Helsel and DeLong did the same in relief."

SIUE and SEMO will conclude the series with a 1:00 p.m. game Sunday afternoon.