In the final home games of the regular season, Sunday, the Lady Bears put together a pair of strong performances against visiting Meridian, picking up the sweep by taking Game 1, 4-2 and Game 2, 7-6. With the victories, Southwest needs to win one of the remaining two games Monday at East Mississippi to secure a spot in the playoffs.

"You couldn't have drawn it up any better, you needed two wins today and the girls came together," Southwest head coach Shea Johnson said.

In the opener, the Lady Bears (17-27, 11-15 MACCC) fell behind 1-0 in the first after the Lady Eagles got a double followed by an RBI single.

But Southwest starter Corin Talbot quickly settled down and retired the next two batters, striking out one in the process.

Following a 1-2-3 inning from Talbot and the Lady Bears in the second, the offense provided help in the bottom half of the inning.

Talbot helped her own cause leading off the frame with a double. She scored three at bats later following an error by Meridian, tying the game at 1. Two at bats afterward, Lauryn Roebuck began her big game providing the go-ahead runs, hitting a double to right, scoring Malley Chase Faulkner and Gabby Carr and making it a 3-1 game.

"Recently I haven't been doing my best so I went into that at bat with my head clear and I said 'I've done bad but I know that I can do better,'" Roebuck said. "So I went up there with a completely clear mind and I said 'just hit the ball.'"

Roebuck's big hit not only gave Southwest the lead but it swung the momentum back on the home side.

Talbot continued to deal, retiring six of the next seven batters that she faced, recording three more strikeouts in the process.

The Lady Eagles pushed a run across in the 5^th making it just a one-run lead for Southwest but Roebuck delivered again in the sixth with another double, this time to center, allowing Abbey Pevey to score giving the Lady Bears a two-run advantage once again at 4-2.

From there Talbot shut the door on Meridian in the seventh with another two strikeouts preserving the win for Southwest.

Talbot went the distance, striking out eight while allowing only five hits, two runs (earned) and two walks.

Roebuck led the offense going 2-for-3 with two doubles, and three RBIs. Talbot had one double and a run scored.

In Game 2, the Lady Bears fell behind 2-0 in the first as the Lady Eagles got their bats going early once again. The deficit unfortunately grew to 3-0 in the third following a solo home run.

But starter Skye Sharp and the Lady Bears didn't panic and fought back. Sharp retired the next three batters striking one out.

In the third inning it was Southwest's turn to put its offense on display. A single from Taylor Dunbar was followed by a double from Erin Acey. Next up was Maggie Wilks who reached on an error which also allowed pinch runner Sharp to race home, giving the Lady Bears their first run. Three at bats later, Talbot doubled to left scoring Acey and Wilks, tying the game at 3.

Meridian unfortunately broke the tie in the fourth with an RBI single making it a 4-3 game.

But Southwest answered right back in the bottom half of the inning with another double from Acey, this time scoring pinch runner Gabby Carr followed by a three-run home run from Liberty Gillihan giving the Lady Bears a 7-4 lead.

"During the at bat I knew that we needed a big hit," Gillihan said. "With the playoffs on the line I knew that anything would come in clutch. After I hit it and it came off of the bat, I knew that it was gone."

The big inning provided momentum for Southwest as the Lady Bears battled out of the fifth, giving up no runs. In the sixth, however, a Lady Eagle home run inched Meridian closer at 7-5.

Sharp recorded a strikeout in the top of the seventh before being replaced by Talbot in a save effort. Meridian scratched one run across making it a one run game. The Lady Eagles tried to continue the rally but Talbot and the Lady Bears shut the door on the opportunity, sealing the win and the sweep.

Sharp recorded the win going 6.1 innings giving up eight hits, six runs (earned) and one walk while striking out six. Talbot picked up the save recording a strikeout while giving up only one hit and one walk.

Gillihan finished with a home run, three RBIs and one run. Talbot recorded two doubles and two RBIs. Acey also had two doubles to go along with two runs scored and one RBI.

After the game, Acey was very pleased with how she overcame struggles earlier in the day.

"I wasn't seeing it well in the first game and I had to go back to the (batting) cages, hit and prayed," she said. "I was like 'God, please let me get a hit.' She (Meridian pitcher Marlee McCalister) left it down the middle and I hit that one solid. And during my next at bat, I came up with two outs and we were down and I said, 'I have to get a hit, I have to move the runner, I have to do my job.' And I ended up getting the runner in. I knew that I had to do it for my teammates, they were picking me up."

The Lady Bears seek a playoff berth as they wrap the regular season at East Mississippi Monday at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.