CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Interstat) — SIU Edwardsville snapped a two-game losing streak against Southeast Missouri State with a 9-2 victory Sunday afternoon at Capaha Field, using a dominant pitching performance and a five-run seventh inning to take the Ohio Valley Conference series finale.

The Cougars improved to 23-21 overall while the Redhawks dropped to 31-13. SIU Edwardsville had lost the first two games of the series, 5-1 on Saturday and 10-3 on Friday, before bouncing back Sunday.

Jase Phillips started on the mound for the Cougars and turned in an impressive outing. The right-hander worked 4 1/3 innings, allowed one earned run, struck out two and did not surrender a hit. Phillips came off a strong start against Western Illinois on April 19, where he tossed five innings with 10 strikeouts and two earned runs.

Joseph Martin relieved Phillips in the fifth inning and continued the Cougars’ shutdown pitching, throwing 3 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and one earned run while allowing no hits. Brennen Grams closed the game with a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two.

SIU Edwardsville took a 1-0 lead in the first inning without a hit, but the Redhawks answered in the bottom half. Klein C singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on an RBI single by Lopetegui R to put SEMO ahead 1-0.

The Cougars tied the game in the fourth inning. With one out, Niedzwiedz singled and advanced to second on a hit-by-pitch. Willoughby singled to right center to score Niedzwiedz. After a walk to Mitchell, Fry doubled to left field, clearing the bases with three runs to give SIU Edwardsville a 4-1 lead.

Daniel Gierer extended the lead in the fifth with a solo home run to left center, making it 5-1.

The pivotal moment came in the seventh inning. Kang walked, Franck struck out, then Gierer doubled down the left field line. After a pitching change, Bloomer singled to score Kang. Niedzwiedz doubled to score Gierer and move Bloomer to third. Heyder singled to left field, advanced on an error by the right fielder, and two more runs scored, giving the Cougars a 9-1 advantage.

Southeast Missouri State got one run back in the eighth when Demitri Shakotko, who entered as a defensive replacement, homered to right center. But the Redhawks could not mount a rally, leaving two runners on base in the inning.

Benjamin Snider pitched two innings in relief for SEMO, allowing two hits and no earned runs with three strikeouts. Andrew Carroll started for the Redhawks and took the loss, giving up four hits and five earned runs over 4 1/3 innings while striking out four.

Brenden Fry led the Cougars offensively, going 2 for 4 with three RBIs. Gierer finished 2 for 5 with a home run, a double and an RBI. Cameron Marchi and JoJo Keldsen also pitched for SEMO, with Marchi recording a scoreless two-thirds of an inning.

The game was played under clear skies in the afternoon and evening at Capaha Field, with attendance not immediately available.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Southeast Missouri State 7, SIU Edwardsville 5, and the ELO system gave the Redhawks a 66 percent probability of winning.