Playing in their second-consecutive tough road test to kick off MACCC Conference play, the Bears got off to positive starts in both contests, Saturday at No. 5 Pearl River, but could not finish in the end, falling 9-4 in Game 1 and 11-2 in Game 2.

"We swung the bats really, really well and we had the same amount of hits that they did in both games," Southwest head coach Jack Edmonson said. "They (Pearl River) just got a big hit when they needed it and we didn't when we needed it."

In Game 1, the Bears (12-19, 0-4 MACCC), grabbed an early lead after a two-run first inning consisting of one run coming on a Colson Thompson ground out and the other on a Trace Roy single.

The lead, however, did not last long as the Wildcats answered back in their half of the first with two runs of their own, tying the game at 2.

But the Bears continued to shine on the offensive side, breaking the tie in the second. With the bases loaded and only one out, Marcus Jackson singled to right, allowing Cody Presley to touch home, putting Southwest ahead at 3-2.

After holding the Wildcats off the scoreboard in the second, the Bears added to their lead in the third. Gage Hinnant got on base via a single to left before Presley brought him home with a double, giving Southwest at 4-2 advantage.

Pearl River tied the game at 4 the following inning with a two-run home run to right. Southwest tried to break the tie once again, but its offense was held mostly in check for the rest of the contest. Pearl River added two runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth making the score the eventual final.

Presley led the Bears with three hits, one run scored and one RBI. Roy and Duthu each finished with two hits.

In Game 2, the Bears once again grabbed the early advantage as Jackson doubled to right and scored later in the inning when Roy tripled, putting Southwest ahead 1-0.

Southwest starter Matthew Bienvenu retired the side in order in the first but, unfortunately, ran into trouble in the second. Pearl River rallied and plated four runs making it a 4-1 game.

Bienvenu quickly regrouped getting the third out and got some help from his offense the following inning. Presley drew a bases-loaded walk cutting the Wildcat lead in half at 4-2. But Pearl River answered back with a single run of its own the following inning, once again making the deficit three for the visitors.

In the fifth, a bases-clearing triple gave Pearl River a six-run advantage at 8-2. The Bears tried to respond and got one runner on base with a Dalton Richard single, but they were unable to push a run across. The Wildcats rallied once again in their half of the sixth with three more runs making the score 11-2.

Jackson, Roy and Richard all finished with two hits apiece to lead the Bears.

Southwest returns to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Booneville against Northeast Mississippi.