CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois (13-9, 1-0 MVC) scored all six runs via the long ball and used three home runs to rally for a 6-5 win against Bradley (10-8-1, 0-1 MVC) in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams Friday afternoon at Abe Martin Field.

The Salukis snapped their 4-game losing streak, while sending the Braves to their third consecutive loss.  The heart of the SIU order did the bulk of the damage as No. 3 hitter Chris Serritella, No. 4 hitter Austin Montgomery and No. 5 hitter Jordan Sivertsen each homered and combined to go 5-for-11 with five runs scored and six runs batted in.

Bradley senior lefthander Joe Bircher (3-1) gave up all six runs to suffer his first loss of the season.  Bircher entered the game tied for fifth nationally with 44 strikeouts in his first five starts this season and he struck out eight in his 7.0 innings Friday.  He climbed two more spots on Bradley's all-time list and now ranks sixth with 241 career strikeouts.  But Bircher walked two, hit two and surrendered eight hits, including the three home runs.

Bradley jumped out to the quick lead by scoring three times in the first inning against Salukis starter Cody Forsythe.  Starting at second base for injured Rob Elliott, freshman Chris Godinez got things started for the Braves by drawing a leadoff walk and stealing second.  Catcher Austin Jarvis gave the Braves a 1-0 lead with a 1-out double.  After designated hitter Greg Partyka reached on an error, center fielder Max Murphy and first baseman Jerrod Eigsti added RBI singles to complete the 3-run outburst to start the game.

Bircher entered Friday's game with a streak of 9.2 consecutive scoreless innings, but the streak only reached 10.1 innings before Serritella put it to rest with a 2-out solo home run in the bottom of the first.  The Braves answered with a Jason Leblebijian solo blast in the top of the second to reclaim their early 3-run cushion, 4-1.

Bircher ran into trouble in the third inning when he issued a leadoff walk and Serritella followed with a single.  Montgomery pulled the Salukis into a 4-4 tie when he launched a 3-run home run to left field.

The Braves benefitted from a pair of SIU errors to reclaim the lead, 5-4, in the top of the sixth.  With one out, leftfielder Andrew Wasmund reached on an error and Godinez followed with an infield single.  Forsythe appeared to escape the jam by getting Leblebijian to hit into an inning-ending double play, but second baseman Wes Neece threw wildly to first, allowing Wasmund to score.

Southern Illinois once again turned to the long ball to take its first lead of the game in the seventh inning.  Bircher struck out the first two hitters of the inning, but after walking Montgomery, he served up a 2-run home run to Sivertsen that put the Salukis ahead, 6-5.

After his rough start, Forsythe (1-1) ended up earning his first win of the season by scattering seven hits and striking out 11 in 8.0 innings.  Closer Todd Eaton finished off the Braves by pitching a perfect ninth inning to earn his fifth save of the year.

The teams will continue their 3-game series with a 2 p.m. contest Saturday at Abe Martin Field.  Bradley senior righthander Justin Ziegler (1-1) is scheduled to oppose SIU senior righty Cameron Maldonado (2-0).

NOTES:  Bradley was 8-0 this season when leading after six innings before giving up its 5-4 lead through six innings Friday ... Max Murphy reached base in each of his first three plate appearances via a hit, a walk and a hit by pitch and now has reached base safely in each of the first 19 games of his career ... Bircher allowed only five home runs in his 15 starts in 2011, but gave up his third, fourth and fifth home runs of the season Friday ... The Braves played without 2012 leading hitter Rob Elliott and 2011 leading hitter Mike Tauchman, both nursing hamstring injuries ... Starting in place of Elliott, freshman second baseman Chris Godinez was 2-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored Friday.