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, which has won four-straight and seven of its last nine games, hosts SIU Edwardsville Mar. 22-23.