EDWARDSVILLE – SIUE scored a run in the first inning, and never trailed on its way to 11-1 win over Saint Louis Tuesday at Simmons Baseball Complex.
SIUE improved to 2-4. Saint Louis is 1-7.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Brett Johnson led off the first inning with a triple to gap in right center and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Brett Pierson to get the Cougars out to an early lead.
The Cougars put up a five-spot in the second inning thanks to four hits, two walks and two hit batters. Ole Arntson led off the inning with a blast to left field for his first home run as a Cougar. Pierson picked up his second RBI on a sacrifice fly and Connor Kiffer drove home two with a bases-loaded single to right.
"We jumped on them early," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "We had the leadoff triple and the run in the first and then we were given some opportunities with some free bases. We took advantage and jumped out to an early lead."
The Billikens' only run came in the fourth on a sacrifice fly. It came against SIUE starter Griffin Bruder. Bruder worked into the fourth inning, allowing a run on a hit. He struck out three, but walked seven.
"I would like to see Griffin Bruder with the lead compete within the strike zone a little better," Lyons said. "He has good stuff. Tonight he just didn't command it as well as he wanted or that we would have liked him to do."
Arntson picked up another RBI in the fourth and SIUE tacked on four more runs in the seventh where Avery Owusu-Asiedu and Brady Bunten picked up RBI-hits. Kiffer drove home two more runs with his second bases-loaded hit of the game.
Arntson was 2-2 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored.
"He is a guy that we've been working with to get him going offensively," Lyons said of Arntson. "He has the potential to be a real run-producer. He had the home run, but he also had the big RBI hit."
Kiffer finished 2-3 with the four RBIs. Owusu-Asiedu was 2-4 with the RBI and two runs.
"Connor Kiffer continues to swing a pretty good bat," Lyon said. "Overall it was a good offensive night for us and a great mid-week win."
SIUE's bullpen worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out five and not walking a batter. Noah Matheny (2-1) got credit for the win. He worked 1 1/3 hitless innings. He struck out one. Brian Chandler, Ryan Swanson, Tyler Bastunas, Quinn Waterhouse and Brant Glidewell each recorded a scoreless outing.
"The guys in the bullpen did a good job of putting up zeros and allowing us to extend the lead," Lyons said. "We didn't allow a walk after the first three innings. Those guys came in and were throwing strikes and that gives them the opportunity to be successful."
SIUE remains home for a weekend-series with South Dakota State.
More like this:
