Even though things didn't go in the favor of the host Bears in Saturday's Game 1 against East Mississippi, falling 9-2, they showed great resiliency and came back in the seventh inning of Game 2, getting a Cody Presley 3-run walk-off home run to seal a 5-3 win over the Lions.
"We were glad to get that one win for sure and we will take as many as we can get," Southwest head coach Jack Edmonson said. "East Mississippi is a quality team that is in the top half of our league, and we were able to split with them. I thought that we outplayed them in the second game."
In Game 1, the Bears (20-29, 8-14 MACCC) fell behind early as the Lions plated a pair of runs in the first inning.
Southwest put two runners on as Marcus Jackson doubled and Nolan Walther singled, but both were unfortunately stranded keeping the Bears off the score board.
Both teams went scoreless over the next two innings, but it was the Lions who scored next as a two-run home run in the fourth made it a 4-0 deficit for the hosts.
East Mississippi added another run in the fifth before the Bears answered in the bottom half of the inning with a single run of their own when Colson Thompson drew a bases-loaded walk bringing Davis Knight home and making it a 5-1 game.
Unfortunately, the Lions once again made it a five-run deficit for the Bears in the sixth getting an RBI single.
Southwest kept fighting and inched closer in the seventh. Presely grounded out allowing Jackson to touch home making it a 6-2 game. But East Mississippi scored another three runs in the ninth making the score the eventual final.
Nolan Walther led the Bears with three hits.
In Game 2, reigning NJCAA Div. II Pitcher of the Week Luke Lirette got the nod and got off to a great start for the Bears striking out the side to start the game. He then followed that up striking out the first two batters over the next two innings keeping the Lion offense from getting anything going.
He ran into a bit of trouble in the fourth, though, as East Mississippi scored two runs on an RBI triple followed by a sacrifice fly.
The deficit grew to 3-0 in the sixth on another RBI triple by the Lions.
That score stayed true until the bottom of the seventh when the Bears rallied. Gage Hinnant and Sam Crowe both reached via singles before Jackson got on base after a Lion error which also resulted in a run as Hinnant crossed home plate making it a 3-1 game.
After Crowe scored on a wild pitch during the ensuing at bat, Walther got on base after being hit by a pitch. Next up was Presley who sent a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for his fifth home run of the season which marked the win for the Bears.
Presley finished with three RBIs while Thompson had two hits as did Tyler Otts who made his return from injury Saturday.
Lirette went 5.0 innings giving up only one hit, two runs (one earned) and one walk while striking out nine. He once again marked his name in the Southwest record books and now holds the team record for strikeouts in a season which currently stands at 97.
The Bears have a quick turnaround as they will hit the road Monday for Crowley, LA in a single non-conference contest against John Melvin at 5 p.m.
