On Day 1 of the JUCO Classic in Vicksburg, the Lady Bears were hoping to get over their tough series loss against Coastal Alabama-North with games against No. 17 Parkland and No. 4 Kirkwood. Despite putting up a fight in both contests, the Lady Bears could not close the deal, falling 5-1 to the Lady Cobras and 4-2 to the Lady Eagles.
In Game 1, the Lady Bears (4-6) trailed 1-0 after the first inning when the Lady Cobras took advantage of a hit batter and capitalized with an RBI single.
On the mound for Southwest was Mia Pumila and the sophomore quickly regrouped giving up only one single over the next two innings of work.
The Lady Bears ran into trouble in the fourth as a walk and an error put two Lady Cobras on base. An RBI single was followed by a sacrifice fly before another RBI single two at bats later made the Southwest deficit 4-0.
Another Parkland run in the fifth made it 5-0.
Southwest plated its run in the seventh as Kayleigh Necaise took advantage of a Parkland error. The Lady Bears tried to rally from there but were shut down during the next at bat sealing the win for the Lady Cobras.
In Game 2, both offenses were held in check through the first two frames.
Kirkwood broke the scoreless streak in the third with a two-run home run putting Southwest down before the deficit grew by one the following inning. In the fifth, the Lady Eagles pushed another run across making the score 5-0.
The Lady Bears continued to battle and scratched two runs across in the sixth when Kacey Stampley homered to right scoring Kayci Beth Wallace.
And even though ensuing batter, Rowan Braley, got on base via a walk, Southwest could not keep the momentum going.
The Lady Bears got a single in the seventh from Addie Bagwell to try and provide a spark but the next two batters were retired giving Southwest the loss.
Wallace led the Lady Bears, going 3-for-3 with a run scored. Southwest also got a big performance from Stampley who finished with a home run, a run scored and two RBIs.
Southwest will take on LSU-Eunice at 11 a.m. and Hillsborough at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Vicksburg to wrap up play in the JUCO Classic.
