CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – SIUE softball extended its best season-opening Ohio Valley Conference winning streak to seven games Friday with a 9-4 victory at Southeast Missouri.

The Cougars lead the OVC and are now 16-10 overall. It continues to be SIUE's best start in OVC play having previously started 4-0 in both 2014 and 2018. SEMO dropped to 12-10 overall and 5-2 in the OVC. The two teams play a noon doubleheader Saturday at Southeast Softball Complex to close out a three-game series.

SEMO struck early for all four of its runs in the second inning against Emma Henderson, who improved to 4-2 for the season. A two-run double by SEMO's Sydney Dennis highlighted the inning.

SIUE placed its first run on the scoreboard in the fourth inning as Juztyne Torres singled home Piper Montgomery to make it 4-1.

The offense kept picking up steam in the fifth when Kaylynn Salyars launched her third home run of this season. Her two-run homer with Danielle Shuey on board put the Cougars within one run at 4-3.

Kaylin Fahy reached on an error in the sixth. That error scored Montgomery and tied the game 4-4. Shuey then stepped up to the plate and delivered a two-run homer that put the Cougars ahead for good.

SIUE scored for the fourth consecutive inning in the top of the seventh. This time, the long ball came from Madison Kearns, a three-run shot that brought home Montgomery and Abby Harvell.

The Cougars outhit SEMO 9-8 as Montgomery led SIUE with three hits. Shuey added two.