HAMMOND, La. – Ryan Niedzwiedz homered twice and drove home three to lift SIUE baseball to a series-opening 4-2 win at Southeastern Louisiana Friday night.

The Cougars improved to 2-3 overall. Southeastern Louisiana fell to 0-5.

Niedzwiedz got the scoring started in the first with a one-out solo home run, his first of the year off Southeastern starter Brady St. Pierre.

Mack Mitchell doubled SIUE's lead in the fourth when he singled to drive home Chase Bloomer, who had singled to start the inning.

Daniel Gierer walked to open the fifth inning before Niedzwiedz went deep a second time, driving the ball out to right for his second of the night.

Niedzwiedz and Bloomer each finished with two hits. Mitchell, Easton Harris and Gage Franck all had a hit apiece.

St. Pierre (0-2) allowed all four runs over four innings. He struck out eight and walked three.

The Lions' only runs came in the bottom of the inning when Brody Capps homered off SIUE reliever Joseph Martin.

Martin (2-0) allowed just the two runs in four innings of relief. He allowed two hits, walked one and struck out six for the second time in two appearances this season.

Jase Phillips started and worked two innings. Poter Conn worked two scoreless innings of relief and Harris earned his second save of the year with a scoreless ninth inning. He struck out one.

The Cougars and Lions will play game two of the series Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.