AMBLER, Pa. - Rachel Faletto hit a two-run home run in a three-run third inning to power Saint Louis to a 7-5 Atlantic 10 Conference victory over Temple Saturday afternoon at Ambler Field, giving the Billikens a split of a two-game series.

Faletto and Jessica Buschjost had two hits apiece for Saint Louis (20-30, 7-9 A-10). Buschjost, Laura Bohning, Alyson Brand and Kelly Flanagan drove in a run apiece.

Winning pitcher Julian Austin (5-10) went six innings and allowed only one earned run, five hits and one walk while striking out five. Kelcie Matesa worked the seventh to pick up her third save.

The Billikens grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Bohning's two-out solo home run, her second homer of the series and team-leading fifth of the season.

SLU scored three times in the third. Katie Kroeger led off with an infield single, moved to second on Bohning's groundout and scored on Brand's single. Faletto followed with her second home run of the year to stretch the lead to 4-0.

Temple (25-20, 10-6 A-10) answered with three runs in the third and pulled even with a tally in the fifth. Saint Louis wasted no time in responding, however, plating two runs in the top of the sixth.

With one out, Lindsay Friedman was hit by a pitch to get things going. After Buschjost walked, pinch hitter Kelly Flanagan came through with a single that scored Friedman and advanced Buschjost to third. Buschjost scooted home on a wild pitch, giving the Bills a 6-4 advantage.

The Owls registered a run in their half of the sixth, only to see the Billikens re-establish a two-run lead in the seventh. With one out, SLU loaded the bases when Jessica Van Nostrand was hit by a pitch, Kelsey Biggs walked and Kerri Dockins was hit by a pitch. Buschjost delivered a two-out single that scored Van Nostrand.

Matesa walked the leadoff batter in the Temple seventh but then slammed the door shut, ending the game with a double play and a strikeout.