Ohio Valley Conference

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE softball improved to 5-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play Saturday with a sweep over Tennessee Tech at Cougar Field.

SIUE won the opener 8-7 and the nightcap 5-2. The Cougars improved to 14-10 overall. The Golden Eagles dropped to 7-17 overall and 1-4 in the OVC.

The Cougars took game one with a come-from-behind victory.

Emma Henderson put the Cougars on the scoreboard in the first inning with her team-leading sixth home run of the season, a two-run homer just over the fence on the left field line.

After Tennessee Tech grabbed a 7-2 lead behind a six-run third inning and a single tally in the fourth, the Cougars stormed back in the bottom of the fourth inning with a six-run rally of their own.

Kaylin Fahy ripped a bases-loaded single that brought home Piper Montgomery. Lauryn Yslava belted a gapper to right center that cleared the bases for three RBIs. Emma Henderson later would add her down double, a shot down the left field line that scored Yslava and Kaylynn Salyars.

Kiana Villa earned the win with 4 1/3 innings of relief. She is now 4-0 for the season.

In game two, Avery Arwood earned her fifth win of the season by going the distance. She fanned six and walked one over seven innings.

Tennessee Tech struck first in the game with an RBI double by Sydney Kirby in the first inning.

The Cougars tied the game and took the lead in the second inning. Juztyne Torres doubled and moved to third on the throw home as Raegan Duncan scored. Danielle Shuey then put the Cougars ahead with an RBI single to left that plated Torres.

The Golden Eagles evened up the game in the third behind two SIUE infield errors.

SIUE thought it was ahead in the fourth on a double steal attempt. Shuey was called safe at second as Duncan crossed home plate. However, a video review reversed the safe call and the Golden Eagles kept the game tied 2-2.

Salyars provided the eventual game-winning RBI in the fifth as she doubled home Yslava. Emma Henderson added a sacrifice fly that put the Cougars up 4-2.

SIUE added one more run in the sixth. After Fahy reached base on a bunt single, she was directed to turn left and head to second by SIUE Head Coach Ben Sorden. Duncan, who started the play at second base, turned the corner at third and scored as Tennessee Tech was attempting to get Fahy out at second.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 9, WESTERN ILLINOIS 3
MACOMB, Ill. -  Madison Winkler, Sydney Melton and Brooklyn Saysoff combined for six hits and five runs scored to lead Southeast Missouri (12-9, 5-1) to a 9-3 win over Western Illinois (6-17, 2-4) Saturday.
 
SEMO completed its first series sweep of the season.
 
The Redhawks jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning.
 
Winkler doubled and advanced to third on a single by Melton. After Melton went to second on a wild pitch, Saysoff ripped a single through the right side to score Melton and Winkler giving the Redhawks a 2-0 edge.
 
Two innings later, the Redhawks pulled away for good with six runs in the third.
 
Winkler, Melton and Saysoff all singled, and Winkler scored on an error. Gracie Luna knocked in Melton on a sacrifice fly and Hailey Burnett smacked a two-run home run. Tatum Gerwitz scored Addisyn Martinie on a groundout to short and Sydney Dennis drove in Kinley Wilkins on a single to stretch SEMO's lead to 8-1.
 
A two-run home run by Payton Brown cut the Redhawks margin to five runs in the bottom of the third, but Luna answered with a solo home run to polish off the 9-3 win.
 
Elliott Stinson (2-2) was credited with the win in relief. Stinson threw four scoreless innings with four strikeouts and just three hits allowed.
 
SEMO finished with 11 hits, getting double-digit hits for the fourth game in a row.
 
Winkler went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, Melton was 2-for-3 with two runs and Saysoff finished at 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI.
 
Dennis' RBI-single extended her hitting streak to 17 games.
 
The Redhawks had eight home runs in the series, their most in a series since hitting nine in a three-game sweep of Tennessee State on Mar. 19-20, 2022.
 
SEMO has won four-straight and seven of its last nine games.