CARBONDALE, Ill. – Three home runs and Lindsay Friedman's two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning gave Saint Louis a 7-6 victory over Southern Illinois Monday afternoon.

The Billikens improved to 24-12 with their fourth consecutive win. Southern Illinois fell to 13-17-1.

Saint Louis led 5-0 after three innings, but Southern Illinois scored two runs in the fourth, three in the fifth and one in the sixth to go on top 6-5.

Alyssa Tarquinio was hit by a pitch and Macie Wheeler walked to begin the Billiken seventh. Pinch runner Brittany Durant was forced at third on Emma Buckles' ground ball.

One out later, Alex Nickel reached on an error to keep the SLU hopes alive. Friedman then smacked a single that plated pinch runner Miranda Cotton and Buckles for a 7-6 Saint Louis lead.

A one-out double in the bottom of the inning gave Southern Illinois a chance. But SLU reliever Laney Kneib (6-0) retired the next two Saluki batters.

The Billikens struck for four runs in the first. Nickel led off with her seventh home run of the season, Elizabeth Everingham and Allie Macfarlane drew one-out walks, and Brianna Lore delivered her second homer of the year.

Tarquinio, who tied her career high with three hits, led off the third inning with her fourth home run to increase the SLU lead to 5-0.

Kneib tossed 2 1/3 innings and allowed one run and four hits. Nickel had two hits, while Josie Knesel (double) and Wheeler had one apiece.