MACJC South Division play began on a sour note for the Southwest Lady Bears as they dropped a doubleheader Saturday afternoon to visiting Pearl River, 3-0 and 6-5.

Pearl River (8-6, 2-0) scored all the runs they would need in the second inning of the opener when Heather Boutwell hit a home run over the centerfield fence. Scoring ahead of Boutwell on the play was Micah Davis. A third-inning leadoff homer by Kaci Lantrip ended the scoring.

Maddy Teague went the distance in the circle to take the loss for the Lady Bears. She surrendered the three runs on five hits while striking out two and walking two.

Mary Margaret McLaurin had two singles for the Lady Bears while Abi Hall and Payton Lewis both also hit safely.

The Lady Bears fell behind early in the finale when Lantrip launched a two-out grand slam over the fence in center to put Pearl River up 4-0. The visitors then added solo runs in the fourth and sixth innings to push their lead to 6-0.

The game heated up in the bottom of the sixth when the Lady Bears scored all of their runs, to make the score 6-5. Hall and McLaurin both drove in a run with singles. Hall later scored when Jessica Pipkins reached base on a fielder’s choice. McLaurin and Shaden Miller both scored on a Pearl River error. However, that would be it for the Lady Bears as the final out of the frame came with the tying run on third.

Hall took the loss in the circle for the Lady Bears, allowing two runs (one unearned) on six hits in 6.1 innings of work. She issued two bases on balls. Starter Kristen Gekler worked only two-thirds of an inning, allowing four runs on two hits while walking three batters.

Myers had three hits in the game for the Lady Bears. Gekler, Lewis and Chelsea Nette also hit safely.

The Lady Bears (4-9, 0-2) return to action Wednesday when they travel to Wesson to face their archrivals, Co-Lin, in a 3 p.m. twinbill.