Going into Saturday's doubleheader, the Bears were in prime position to punch a ticket to the postseason with a sweep of visiting East Mississippi. And they did exactly that as Southwest once again erased deficits in both contests to pick up wins. The Bears took Game 1 10-4 and held on to win Game 2 4-3.
Southwest head coach Jack Edmonson said after the games that he and his coaching staff didn't talk about what was at stake to the team prior to the games.
"I don't know what they knew, we didn't talk about it to be honest with you," he said. "We just knew that it is the same as any day and we need to go in and win the first game and play good baseball. And we did and in the second game I thought that we did too but it was just a tougher game."
In Game 1, the Bears (24-30, 14-12 MACCC) relied on starter Rhyson Carroway and the freshman allowed only one baserunner in the first before battling out of the inning allowing no runs. He got out of a jam in the second with two runners on but lost momentum in the third as the Lions pushed three runs across putting the Bears down.
Southwest didn't panic and answered back with a big rally in the fifth. Trace Roy led off with a double and touched home on the ensuing at bat when Cam Bolden tripled down the right field line. Following singles from Gage Hinnant and Tanner Moore to load the bases, Jake Meilstrup cleared them with a double to center giving the Bears their first lead of the contest at 5-3.
"I wanted the bases loaded and my teammates helped me get that," he said. "I have faced this guy three times already so I knew what was coming and I got a barrel on it and got a double."
The rally continued in the ensuing at bat as Justin Domiano brought Meilstrup home after hitting a two-run home run to left making it a 7-3 game.
With the lead, Carroway kept the momentum on the home side battling out of the bases loaded jam by retiring three-consecutive batters keeping it at a four-run lead.
He became even more comfortable in the seventh as he retired the side in order, capping off his night with his eighth and final strikeout.
Roy provided another run in the bottom half of the seventh on a single to left increasing the lead to five at 8-3.
Noah Russ took over on the mound in the eighth and carried over the momentum, getting a 1-2-3 inning before the Bears added to the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Meilstrup continued his big night with an RBI triple to right scoring Hinnant before he scored during the ensuing at bat when Domiano hit into a fielder's choice.
The Lions inched closer in the ninth with a run to make the score 10-4 but Davis Knight – who came on to pitch to begin the inning -- got a flyout to end the game and seal the win for the Bears.
Carroway got the win going 7.0 innings giving up only five hits, three runs (earned) and two walks to go along with his eight strikeouts.
"I thought that I started off slow to be honest," he said. "I just didn't feel right, wasn't energized, but my offense gave me three (runs) and backed me up and after that I felt the energy, I had my boys behind me and I was ready to go from there."
Meilstrup led the offense going 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored, four RBIs and three stolen bases. Domiano finished with three RBIs and Hinnant had two runs scored.
In Game 2, starter Brodey Walker set the tone early shutting down three of the first four batters that he faced.
He got immediate help from his offense as Southwest pushed a run across in the first when Bolden scored on an East Mississippi error giving the Bears a 1-0 advantage.
The lead was short-lived unfortunately as the Lions jumped ahead 2-1 in the second following a two-run home run.
The deficit grew to two in the third as East Mississippi scored on a wild pitch making the score 3-1.
The Bears kept battling and inched closer in the fourth when Roy took third base on a passed ball before it skipped into the Southwest dugout. He was granted an extra base and scored as the ruling of a "dead ball" was made after he arrived at third base.
Roy's run made it a 3-2 game.
Walker and the Bear defense shut down East Mississippi in the fifth before the offense stepped up once again in the bottom half of the inning.
Meilstrup hit a two-out single to right and advanced to second as ensuing batter, Bolden, walked. During the next at bat, Meilstrup stole third then stole home with some heads-up base running tying the game at 3 before Domiano singled to center bringing Bolden home and giving Southwest the lead once again at 4-3.
"First of all, I want to give all of the glory to Jesus Christ because I wouldn't be here without him, he just gives me the talent to be here," Domiano said. "I was just trying to look for a fastball and be on time. I didn't want to miss a pitch that I got the opportunity to drive. He gave me a fastball and I did what I wanted to do with it."
His big hit fired up the Southwest crowd and gave the Bears the momentum they needed as the combination of Nik Carney, Knight and Jackson Hawsey combined to keep the Lions off the scoreboard the rest of the way giving Southwest the win.
Walker went 5.0 innings giving up only three hits, three runs (earned) and three walks while striking out five. Hawsey picked up the save, his first of the season.
Domiano led the offense with a hit and an RBI, while Bolden scored two runs. Meilstrup finished with two steals as the Southwest single-season steals leader (now at 54) pushed his career total to 61, tying the school record.
Southwest will wrap the regular season on Tuesday hosting Pearl River at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
