Despite putting up a valiant effort, the Lady Bears were unfortunately unable to close out the 2023-24 season on a high note Sunday on Sophomore Day dropping a pair to visiting Meridian, losing Game 1, 17-0 and Game 2, 8-0.
 
"You don't want to go out that way for your sophomores," said Southwest head coach Shea Johnson who also looked back on the year as a whole. "We have been injury-ridden since before we went into conference. It has been a tough year. It makes you search your heart and your soul and you want to win for those kids."
 
Prior to the games, six sophomores in Morgan Gras, Shaylee Ingram, Anlyssa Richardson, Anne Claire Sistrunk, Londyn Robertson and Presley Dease were honored.
 
In Game 1, the Lady Bears (17-27, 6-22 MACCC) fell behind 3-0 in the second after mistakes came back to haunt Southwest.
 
The game slipped further away in the third as the Lady Eagles rallied to plate an additional eight runs making it an 11-0 contest.
 
The following inning, the Lady Bears put a runner on trying to get their offense into a rhythm but they could not get her home.
 
Meridian added to its lead in the fourth with five additional runs putting Southwest down 16-0. The Lady Eagles added their final run in the fifth.
 
Richardson, Maggie Wilks and Sistrunk all finished with a hit for the Lady Bears.
 
In Game 2, the Lady Bears got off to a good start in the circle as starter Abbey Pevey held the Lady Eagles in check through the first three innings.
 
The momentum unfortunately ran out in the fourth when Meridian rallied to score six runs putting Southwest in a hole.
 
The Lady Bears attempted to respond and put two on as Alyssa Leggett and Ingram hit back-to-back singles, but they were stranded.
 
The Lady Eagles pushed their final two runs across the plate in the sixth and the Lady Bears were unable to respond in the bottom half of the inning sealing the win for Meridian.
 
Ingram finished 3-for-3 while Sistrunk had two hits while Richardson had a double.
 
After the games, Johnson thanked his sophomores for the effort that they have put forth during their time in Summit.  He also shined some light on an outlook for next year saying he was excited to see how the new pieces will fit with the returners.