RAYMOND – The Southwest Lady Bears picked up an MACJC South Division doubleheader sweep over the visiting Hinds Lady Eagles Thursday afternoon, winning game one 5-1 and the finale 4-2.

The Lady Bears (7-14, 3-7) led game one 4-0 after three innings. Chelsea Nette reached base in the first inning on an error and later scored on Kristen Gekler’s sacrifice fly. Jessica Pipkins and Harley Myers both had a run-producing single in the second inning and Morgan Brown scored in the third inning on another Hinds error.

Hinds loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth, but a home-to-first double play and fly out allowed the Lady Bears to escape unharmed.

The final run for Southwest came in the fifth inning when Payton Lewis singled to centerfield with two outs and raced home two batters later on Mary Margaret McLaurin’s base hit past third base.

Hinds (6-18, 2-8) avoided the shutout in the top of the seventh when Ashlyn Shields reached base on a fielder’s choice and scored on Jermya Walker’s base hit.

Maddy Teague pitched all seven innings to record the win for the Lady Bears. She surrendered five hits while striking out two batters and walking one. Lewis and Myers both had two hits in the game while Brie Harper also hit safely.

Monica Wade scored in the first inning of the nightcap and Walker in the second to give Hinds a 2-0 lead. The Lady Eagles maintained their lead until the fifth inning when the first three Lady Bears’ batters scored to give their squad a 3-2 lead. Harper led off the frame with a base hit and McLaurin followed with a home run over the left field fence. A throwing error by the Hinds pitcher allowed the next batter, Marisa Pruski, to race around the bases and score the go-ahead run.

The final run of the day came in the bottom of the sixth when courtesy runner Shaden Miller scored on an error by the Hinds first baseman.

Gekler pitched the final 4.1 innings in relief, giving up three hits and walking one. Abi Hall started the game and went 2.2 innings, giving up two unearned runs on five hits. She struck out five batters and walked one. Harper, Myers and Pipkins all had singles for the Lady Bears.

Addressing the Lady Bears slow start in game two, Southwest head coach Patsy Sandifer said, “We kind of had a lull (in our offense) in the first, second, third and fourth innings. We kept pushing, kept encouraging the girls…and it finally worked.”

The Lady Bears return to the diamond Saturday when they play host to Mississippi Gulf Coast. The South Division twinbill is set for a 1:00 first pitch.