In one final test before the start of conference play this weekend, the Lady Bears welcomed in No. 24 Lansing Thursday hoping to build some momentum.
 
And they did just that, playing arguably their best series of the season, thus far, defeating the Lady Stars 8-5 in Game 1 and 12-5 in Game 2.
 
"I can't say enough about how we hit the ball," Southwest head coach Shea Johnson said. "The coaches did a great job and the girls played incredible. I've said quite a few times that this is a really good softball team and we just haven't put it all together, we haven't been healthy, but everyone (today) was back."
 
In Game 1 a back-and-forth battle between the Lady Bears (6-12) and the Lady Stars, got going early.
 
Lansing plated a single run in the top of the first and it was answered by Southwest in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Liberty Gillihan doubled and touched home two at bats later when Alyssa Leggett followed suit, doubling off of the wall, tying the game at 1. Two at bats after that, Abbey Pevey singled to center allowing Leggett to score putting the hosts ahead 2-1.
 
Starter Allie Ladnier struck out three of the five batters she faced in the second, keeping the momentum on the home side. And it showed on the scoreboard as the Lady Bears added to their lead in the bottom of the second when Gillihan hit a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Lauryn Roebuck to score making it a 3-1 game.
 
Unfortunately, for Southwest, Lansing rallied in the third as a grand slam put the visitors up 5-3.
 
Skye Sharp came on in relief and struck out the next two batters.
 
Despite the big hit from the Lady Stars and trailing by two, Southwest didn't panic one bit, re-focused and surged back in the bottom half of the third.

Leggett and Corin Talbot got on base via singles and touched home later in the inning when Kate Clements hit one of her own, tying the game at 5.
 
After the game, Clements said part of her success in the games was approaching with a clear mind and a positive attitude.
 
"I said 'let me just have fun in this game'," Clements said. "If I hit, it will be great and it will be huge, but if not, I know that my team has my back and they'll pick me right back up and I'll go up there in my next at bat and try again."  
 
Sharp continued to deal in the fifth, picking up two more strikeouts before the offense provided additional help in the fifth.
 
Taylor Dunbar drove in Clements on a single to left putting Southwest back on top at 6-5.
 
The hits kept coming for the Lady Bears in the sixth. Talbot delivered a one-out, two-run double to center, scoring Maggie Wilks and Gillihan making the score 8-5.
 
Talbot had a big game going 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored and two RBIs. Clements, Leggett and Gillihan all had two hits.
 
Sharp went 4.2 innings giving up only two hits, no runs and one walk while striking out five.
 
"I've only been back a few games and my confidence had been down," she said. "I talked to Coach Shea before and he said 'Skye I need you to be the girl you were in high school'. I said that I need to be hyped up. I needed this game, this was a confidence booster."
 
In Game 2, once again it was the Lady Stars who made the first move with a run in the top of the first. And once again, it was answered by Southwest in the bottom half of the inning when Gillihan blasted a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall, tying the game at 1.
 
The Lady Bear offense broke through in the second. Clements led off with a double and scored during the ensuing at bat when Roebuck singled.
 
Later in the inning Wilks and Gillihan hit back-to-back RBI doubles before Ladnier followed up with an RBI single pushing the Southwest lead to 5-1. Four at bats later, Clements hit an RBI single of her own before Pevey scored when Dunbar reached on an error. When the dust settled, the Lady Bears enjoyed an 8-1 advantage.
 
The Lady Stars scratched one run across in the third and three more in the fourth before Southwest added three of hits own in the fourth and one more in the fifth.
 
Clements, Ladnier and Gillihan all had three hits in the game for the Lady Bears. Roebuck recorded two hits, two runs scored and four RBIs.
 
Talbot went the distance in the circle, striking out seven while giving up seven hits, five runs (four earned) and six walks.
 
The Lady Bears open conference play Sunday at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. in Poplarville against Pearl River.