After going toe-to-toe with the host East Central Lady Warriors for much of Tuesday's Game 2, the Lady Bears got a late surge and rode that momentum to a 5-3 win. Southwest unfortunately came up short in Game 1, falling 5-2.
 
"It was a big win," Southwest head coach Shea Johnson said referring to Game 2. "When you win on the road against a quality team, I think that it is a big feather in the cap for Southwest, for our program for our coaches, for our players. It was just a great night."  
 
The Lady Bears (11-19, 5-7 MACCC) fell behind early in Game 2 as the Lady Warriors grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
 
But Southwest showed great resiliency and fought back in the fourth to jump ahead. After Alyssa Leggett got on base via a single, she scored during the ensuing at bat when Corin Talbot doubled to center. Talbot, who advanced to third on the throw, then scored two at bats later when Kate Clements singled to center.
 
Unfortunately, the 2-1 lead did not last as East Central responded in the bottom half of the inning plating two runs to once again take a one-run lead, this time at 3-2.
 
The back-and-forth tussle continued in the fifth as the Lady Bears tied the game at 3 when Maggie Wilks singled in Malley Chase Faulkner.
 
Southwest starter Skye Sharp battled out of a bit of a jam in the fifth, shutting down the Lady Warriors and keeping them from scoring despite having two baserunners on.
 
In the sixth, Southwest broke through with a big hit from Erin Acey who delivered a two-out single to left allowing Gabby Carr and Clements to score putting the Lady Bears up 5-3.
 
Sharp retired the side in order in the sixth and seventh innings, preserving the win.
 
Sharp went the distance striking out two while giving up only five hits, three runs (earned) and one walk.
 
Liberty Gillihan led the offense with three hits. Clements had two hits one run scored and one RBI while Acey had one hit and two RBIs.
 
In Game 1, the Lady Bears fell behind early as East Central rallied in the first inning, scoring four runs.
 
The lead unfortunately grew in the fifth when the Lady Warriors added one more run making it a 5-0 game.
 
In the seventh, Southwest got its offense going, trying to mount a comeback. Faulkner led off the inning with a solo home run to right, her first of the season. Later in the inning, Lauryn Roebuck singled to center bringing Wilks home, making it a 5-2 game.
 
The Lady Bears tried to add more but a play at the plate during the ensuing at bat ended the game and gave the win to the hosts.
 
Leggett led Southwest with three hits.
 
The Lady Bears will be back in action on April 2, hosting No. 22 Gulf Coast at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.