CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – SIUE baseball moved back into a tie atop the Ohio Valley Conference standings thanks to a 9-2 win Sunday at Southeast Missouri.

The Cougars improved to 12-6 in the OVC and 23-21 overall. Southeast Missouri also is 12-6 in the league. The Redhawks are 31-13 overall.

Little Rock and Eastern Illinois also are both 12-6 in league play for a four-way tie at the top.

The Cougars trailed 1-0 going to the fourth inning when an Ethan Willoughby single got SIUE on the board. Mack Mitchell walked to load the bases. Brenden Fry then lined a bases-clearing double to left center to put the Cougars up 4-1.

Daniel Gierer led off the fifth inning with his fourth home run of the year to push the Cougars' lead to 5-1.

SEMO starter Andrew Carroll (6-3) allowed five runs on four hits over 4.1 innings. He walked two and struck out four.

SEMO threatened in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with one out against SIUE starter Jase Phillips. Joseph Martin relieved Phillips and retired the next two hitters with a strike out and a pop out, leaving the bases loaded.

Phillips allowed a single run on four hits over 4.1 innings.

Chase Bloomer singled in a run and Ryan Niedzwiedz doubled in another in the seventh to extend SIUE's lead to 7-1. Joshua Heyder singled to left to drive home Bloomer and when the ball was misplayed in the outfield, Niedzwiedz also scored to make it 9-1.

SEMO's Demitri Shakotko hit a solo home run in the eighth inning for the 9-2 final.

Martin (3-0) finished up with 3.2 innings allowing a run on three hits he struck out a career-high six hitters. Brennen Grams struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning.

Gierer, Niedzwiedz and Fry all finished with two hits to lead the Cougars.

SIUE is scheduled to travel to Evansville for a Tuesday night midweek contest. First pitch is 6 p.m.