EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Spencer Stearns allowed a single hit over a career-high eight innings Saturday as SIUE baseball downed Morehead State 4-1 to win the Ohio Valley Conference series.

SIUE has won three in a row and improved to 9-12 overall and 2-0 in the OVC. Morehead State is 8-13 and 0-2 in the league.

Stearns (2-3) struck out a career-high 12 hitters over eight dominating innings. He allowed a solo home run to Griffin Olson and didn't allow another hit. He walked one and hit a batter, but retired the final 11 hitters he faced, striking out six of them.

Tyler Davis used just 10 pitches to retire the side in order for his second save of the season.

Olson's home run gave Morehead State the lead in the third inning, but the Cougars answered immediately in the bottom of the inning with a sacrifice fly from Ethan Willoughby.

Chase Bloomer's team-leading sixth home run of the year, a solo shot, put SIUE ahead to stay in the fifth. Bloomer picked up an RBI single and Willoughby drove home a run with a fielder's choice in the seventh to stretch the Cougars' advantage.

Bloomer was 2-4, accounting for half of SIUE's hits. Mack Mitchell and Lane Crowden had the other two hits.

Kamden Hawks (0-3) worked 4 2/3 innings in relief, allowing three runs for Morehead State. He struck out six.

The series finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m.