The start to the Saturday's home doubleheader against Mississippi Delta is one that Bear Baseball Head Coach Jack Edmonson and hit team did not want, but they are happy with the finish as Southwest endured a tough 16-6 loss to the Trojans in Game 1 before bouncing back with a 15-1 decision in Game 2 where the Bears set a new season high in hits with 18.

"The first game was probably one of the worst that I have ever been a part of," Edmonson said. "The second game was really good, and I thought that we had some people that stepped up with big leadership roles on our team and I was proud of the guys for doing that."

In Game 1, Southwest (15-22, 3-7 MACCC) started Blaine Causey for the first time this season and the freshman shined in the first inning, striking out the side. He had positive outing in the second battling back and allowing no runs after Delta put two runners on. He then got some help from his offense.

Cody Presley led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run to center before a Nolan Walther double later in the inning scored Davis Knight putting the Bears up 2-0.

The Trojans inched closer in the third scoring one run to cut the Bear lead in half.

Noah Russ took over pitching duties in the fourth, and like Causey, he too struck out the side during his first inning out. But the Southwest offense couldn't follow suit.

Delta rallied in the fifth, scoring four runs putting Southwest down 5-2.

The Trojans added to their lead with another five runs in the top half of the seventh.

Even though they were down, the Bears battled back in the bottom half. With one out, Walther launched his first home run of the year over the left field wall making it a 10-3 deficit for the Bears. Later in the inning, back-to-back RBI doubles from Colson Thompson and Presley — with the former's scoring two runs — pulled the Bears within four at 10-6.

But the momentum swung back over to the visiting side the following inning as Delta pulled away with a four-run inning putting Southwest down 14-6.

The Trojans scored their final two runs in the ninth making the score the eventual final.

Presley and Walther led the Bears with two hits, one home run and two RBIs apiece. Thompson also finished with two RBIs.

At the conclusion of the first game, Edmonson told the guys to go to the locker room. "I have no idea (what was said in the locker room)," he said. "I just told them to go to the locker room and when to come back out here. I think that some of the guys on our team stepped up and lead in the locker room. I have no idea what was said. I wanted our team to take ownership."

The message was heard loud and clear as the Bears bounced back and in a big way.

Starter Luke Lirette helped set the tone early with a 1-2-3 first inning before the Bear bats provided early insurance runs in arguably the most productive inning thus far this season. Thompson led off the big inning with the first of four-consecutive RBI doubles as his was followed by ones from Knight, Walther and Gage Hinnant. After Lane Steinwinder was hit by a pitch, Sam Crowe singled in Steinwinder and Hinnant. Marcus Jackson joined the fray with an RBI single
before Thompson added one of his own for his second big hit of the inning.

"My swing felt good, felt loose and I felt like I was staying in the zone," he said. "And I was producing results."

When the dust settled the Bears brought 14 to the plate and took a 9-0 lead after the first inning.

Despite running into some trouble the following inning as the Trojans loaded the bases with one out, Lirette rebounded nicely with strikeouts number four and five thus far to get out of the jam.

The Southwest offense shined once again the following inning with additional insurance runs. Walther led off with a triple and scored during the ensuing at bat when Hinnant hit one of his own. Next up was Steinwinder who allowed Hinnant to touch home following a double to right. He scored later in the inning on a Jackson sacrifice fly putting the Bears up 12-0.

Lirette had another scoreless inning in the third but ran into a bit of trouble in the fourth as Delta rallied to push one across making it a 12-1 game. Lirette pressed on and picked up his seventh and eighth strikeouts of the game, later in the inning.

"I felt good," Lirette said. "I didn't have my best stuff, but I felt like I went out there and competed to give my team the chance to win."

Southwest got two more runs in the fourth taking advantage of a Trojan error on one and getting the other on a ground out.

Jackson Hawsey came on to pitch in the fifth and kept up the stellar pitching for the Bears by striking out the side, keeping the momentum with the hosts. It paid dividends in the bottom half of the inning as the 15^th and final Bear run crossed the plate.

Hawsey pitched through the sixth before Tate Cuevas came on in the seventh to close the door on the Trojans by striking out three and helping the Bears pick up with Game 2 win.

Thompson capped off his big day with a three-hit, four-RBI performance in the nightcap. Also finishing with three hits apiece was Presley and Hinnant. Reed Duthu and Crowe had two hits apiece with the latter also getting three RBIs.  

Lirette went 4.0 innings giving up only four hits, one run (unearned) and three walks while striking out eight. Hawsey pitched 2.0 innings walking only two while striking out five and Cuevas went 1.0 inning giving up a hit and a walk while striking out three.

The Bears return to action on Tuesday as they travel to Meridian to face the Eagles at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.