The Southwest Lady Bears overcame a 2-0 with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat visiting Meridian 3-2 Tuesday in the first game of their non-MACJC matchup. Southwest prevailed 4-3 in the nightcap. With the wins, Southwest moved to 2-2 on the young season while the Lady Eagles dropped to 1-8.
In the opener, Meridian banged out four hits in the second inning to score both their runs. The big blow was an RBI double from Jade Osborne. The lead held up until the final inning.
Brittany Baughman reached base on a walk to lead off the bottom of the Lady Bears’ seventh and moved to second on a Victoria Price sacrifice bunt. After Mandy Szigeti reached on a walk, Katie Allen blasted a double to left, scoring Baughman. On the same play, Szigeti scored on a Meridian error while Allen moved to third. Allen then scored the winning run on a wild pitch by pitcher Kelsey Wilson.
Tipheri Grimes had a double and single for the Lady Bears while Grace Bravata, Camden Graham and Price all singled. Pitcher Rachel Smith went the distance to pick up the win. In seven innings, she gave up seven hits while striking out six and walking two.
The Lady Bears took a 3-0 lead after three innings of game two. Graham drove in a run with a second inning single, Aseye Attipoe scored on a fielder’s choice in the third and Grimes scored on an error in the third.
A hit, walk and a Southwest error allowed Meridian to put two runs on the board in the top of the fourth, but the Lady Bears answered with another solo run in the bottom of the frame to make the score 4-2. Baughman doubled to lead off the inning and later scored on an Allen single.
The Lady Eagles used two hits and another Southwest error to score in the top of the seventh and make the score 4-3 with two outs and had the tying run on third. But, a Smith strikeout of Ashley Downing ended the threat and the game.
Grimes had two singles in the final game while Brooke Szigeti and Baughman also singled. Aseye Attipoe added a double. Smith again was the winning pitcher, moving her to 2-1 on the season. Going the distance again, she gave up eight hits while striking out seven and walking one.
“We played with a lot of heart,” said Southwest head coach Patsy Sandifer. “We’re working on getting better and better and we are. That inexperience sometimes comes through (the Lady Bears have eight freshmen on the roster), but we’re playing solid. We did a better job today of getting runs on the board.”
Southwest heads to Eunice, LA, Friday to face LSU-E and Lamar State College-Port Arthur (TX) Friday and Saturday in the LSU-E tournament.
