EVANVSILLE, Ind. - SIUE and Southern Indiana will battle for the series win Saturday after the two Ohio Valley Conference squads split a doubleheader Friday at USI Softball Field.

SIUE, 16-22 overall and 3-9 in the OVC, won game two 5-3 after dropping the opener 4-3 to Southern Indiana, which is 16-18 overall and 9-7 in the OVC.

Rylie Pindel came out of the bullpen to collect the victory in game two for the Cougars. She tossed 3 1/3 innings without an earned run and yielded just one hit while fanning four batters.

"She does so well coming out of the bullpen," said SIUE Head Coach Ben Sorden. "The thing that I like about Rylie is she just attacks the zone. She puts batters on their heels."

SIUE's offense unleashed three runs in the first inning off Southern Indiana starter Raegan Gibson.

Hayley Palm doubled home Lexi King and Emma Neuman. Palm then scored on an RBI single by Piper Montgomery. The Cougars had five of their nine hits in the first inning.

Madisyn Webster put SIUE ahead 4-1 in the third inning with an infield single that brought home Micah Arps.

"Madisyn Webster and Micah Arps," said Sorden, "the slappers were doing a good job of getting on and setting the table."

Arps would drive home a run herself in the fourth after Neuman reached on a Southern Indiana error and moved to second and third on wild pitches.

In game one, Southern Indiana jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the first inning.

Sorden said he was happy the Cougars answered quickly in the top of the second.

"I love the fact that she (Palm) came out and doubled right after they scored," said Sorden. Palm and Montgomery scored on a two-run single by Arps.

SIUE and Southern Indiana exchanged one run each before the Screaming Eagles used a seventh-inning walkoff single by Kennedy Nalley to collect the win.

"Kelsey Ray threw a good game and kept us in the game. We just have to finish," said Sorden.

The two team meet for the rubber game at 1 p.m. Saturday.