ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — Chase Beattie broke out of a slump with a grand slam in a five-run sixth inning, powering the Saint Louis Billikens to an 8-2 victory over the SIU Edwardsville Cougars in nonconference baseball Tuesday afternoon at Billiken Sports Center.

The game, a rematch of a Feb. 24 contest won 17-7 by the Cougars, turned decisively in the sixth after the Billikens had methodically erased an early two-run deficit. The win evened Saint Louis’s record at 12-12, while SIU Edwardsville fell to 11-14.

SIU Edwardsville struck quickly against Saint Louis starter Trevor Jackson. In the first inning, Nate Niedzwiedz singled and later scored on an RBI single up the middle by Grant Willoughby, who advanced to third on a fielding error. Willoughby then scored on a wild pitch in the fourth inning to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.

That advantage was protected by Cougars reliever Gabriel Nutter, who entered in the second inning and delivered 3 2/3 hitless innings, allowing one earned run while striking out three. His outing kept the Saint Louis offense quiet until the fifth.

The Billikens finally broke through in the fifth against reliever Andrew Koehler. Mason Deutsch singled, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI single by Ian Halverson. After a wild pitch and a single by Ryan Iffrig, Beattie delivered his first big hit, a single to left center that scored Halverson to tie the game 2-2.

The tie was short-lived. In the bottom of the sixth, the Billikens sent 10 men to the plate to seize control. Deutsch and Isaac Blazier singled, and Halverson walked to load the bases with two outs. Iffrig drew a walk from reliever Cade Johnson to force in the go-ahead run.

That brought Beattie to the plate. The designated hitter, who was 0 for 8 in his previous two games, launched a grand slam over the left field fence, clearing the bases and blowing the game open at 7-2. The homer was his second in three games and accounted for four of his five RBIs on the night.

Saint Louis added an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI double by Jack Canzoni that scored Henry Gomric, who had walked and stolen second.

The Billikens’ bullpen was dominant after the early exit of Jackson. Adam Shipley, Loren Georger, Colin Hawkins and Dylan Gormont combined for six innings of relief, allowing just one run on three hits. Georger was particularly effective, pitching three perfect innings with two strikeouts to earn the win.

SIU Edwardsville managed six hits, with Willoughby and Niedzwiedz each collecting two. The Cougars threatened in the ninth, putting runners on first and second with one out, but a game-ending double play snuffed out the rally.

The victory gave Saint Louis a measure of revenge for its 10-run loss to the Cougars earlier in the season and moved the Billikens to the .500 mark. SIU Edwardsville, coming off a high-scoring series at Morehead State, saw its offense stifled after the fourth inning, managing only two hits over the final five frames.

Saint Louis opens Atlantic 10 Conference play at home against George Mason on Friday. SIU Edwardsville begins Ohio Valley Conference action at home against Tennessee Tech on Friday.