EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE baseball took the finale of a three-game series Monday, defeating Southeast Missouri 6-2 at Simmons Baseball Complex.

The Cougars and Redhawks are both 6-3 and tied for second place in the Ohio Valley Conference. SIUE improved to 13-17 overall. SEMO is 19-13.

SIUE will play its fourth consecutive game Tuesday when it welcomes in Missouri of the Southeastern Conference to Roy E. Lee Field.

Gabriel Nutter will make the start for SIUE. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.  

Monday, the Redhawks got out to an early 1-0 lead just two batters into the game. Leadoff man Brooks Kettering tripled and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Carson Schrack.

SIUE starter Spencer Stearns settled in from there to pitch four innings. He allowed just the run on four hits and struck out six.

The Cougars took the lead and chased SEMO starter Haden Dow (3-3) with three runs on four hits in the fourth inning. Lane Crowden and Daniel Gierer each had RBI singles in the inning. Dow lasted just 3 2/3 innings. He stuck out two.

The Redhawks got a run back in the fifth, and the Cougars answered in the sixth when John Stallcup doubled to bring home Gage Franck.

The Cougars pushed across a pair of insurance runs on four hits in the eighth inning. Mack Mitchell doubled to drive home a run before Ryan Niedzwiedz singled to score another.

Kyle Athmer (1-1) relieved Stearns and tossed 2 2/3 innings to earn the win. He allowed a run and struck out three.

Liam McKillop finished the seventh and started the eighth inning. Tyler Davis finished the eighth and pitched the ninth, striking out four for his third save of the season.

The Cougars outhit the Redhakws 11-6. Niedzwiedz, Franck and Gierer had two hits apiece.