The Bears entered Saturday's conference doubleheader at Northeast Mississippi hoping to get back on the winning track. And after picking up a 13-6 win over the Tigers in Game 1 they unfortunately couldn't keep it going as they lost Game 2, 2-1.

"I think that we have to get better," Southwest head coach Jack Edmonson said. "The truth is that we can be 4-2 in conference, and we are 1-5. We have to play better when pressure is on. We have to finish a game. Our guys played hard, we fought hard against a good team. I'm glad that we got the win in Game 1 but we have to get better moving forward."

In Game 1, the Bears (13-20, 1-5 MACCC), fell behind the first inning after the Tigers pushed a run across.

Southwest answered back in the second as a Dawson Richard sacrifice fly to right allowed Trace Roy to score, tying the game at 1. But Northeast responded with another one-run inning in the second with a sacrifice fly of its own putting the Bears down 2-1.

The Tigers added two more in the fourth and another in the fifth, increasing the Bear deficit to four. But the Bears answered in the sixth and in a big way.

With the bases loaded and one out, Richard reached on an error allowing Nolan Walther and Colson Thompson to score. After Cru Bella got on base via a walk, Jake Meilstrup grounded out to first allowing Davis Knight to touch home. Next up was Reed Duthu who singled in Bella and Richard giving the Bears their first lead of the game at 6-5. Two batters later, Thompson singled in
Duthu making it a 7-5 game.

Southwest once again rallied the following inning. A Meilstrup RBI single was followed up by two additional runs on a Tiger error. Another error two at bats later resulted in another Bear run before Marcus Jackson stole home making it a 12-5 game in favor of Southwest.

In the seventh, Northeast cut into the lead slightly with a single run on a Southwest error.  

The Bears got their final run in the ninth as Meilstrup scores on a Duthu groundout.

Peyton Purdue, who got the win, battled out of a jam in the ninth to preserve the win for the Bears.

Southwest was led by Meilstrup and Walther who had two hits apiece with the former also registering two runs scored and two RBIs. Both Duthu and Richard finished with three RBIs apiece.

Game 2 proved to be a pitcher's duel between Southwest's Luke Lirette and Northeast's Drew Cartee. Both held their respective opponents in check for most of the contest.

The Bears broke through in the sixth getting a run on a fielder's choice hit by Jackson which resulted in a Tiger error, allowing Walther to score.

The 1-0 lead, unfortunately, didn't last for Southwest as Northeast plated two runs the following inning, both on bases-loaded walks. Lirette quickly regrouped and picked up a strikeout to hold the Bear deficit to one. Despite getting two runners on the following inning, the Bears could not get the tying run home, giving the Tigers the win.

Lirette went the distance for the Bears giving up only three hits, two runs (earned) and five walks while striking out 10. Offensively, Walther led Southwest with a hit and a run scored.

The Bears return to Summit Tuesday for their conference home opener and first home series since Mar. 7 when they face Mississippi Gulf Coast at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.