The University of South Carolina softball team bid farewell to its eight seniors last weekend with a season finale against Missouri.

The Gamecocks battled for three games but failed to win one to drop their record to 32-21 overall and 8-16 in the SEC before the start of conference tournament play.

Before Sunday’s series closer, the team took a moment to recognize each of its eight seniors, Aniyah Black, Denver Bryant, Bailey Betenbaugh, Zoe Laneaux, Alana Vawter, Riley Blampied, and Kianna Jones.

Many players were overcome with emotion as they were escorted by their family, past their teammates and to their coaches while a special video played on the jumbotron featuring each athlete explaining why the Gamecock softball experience was so special.

The good vibes quickly faded and the tone shifted as the team prepared for their final game of the regular season. While the Gamecocks may have lost in the end, the team forced the game into extra innings before eventually being overpowered by the Tigers for a third time.

All three contests were close with the margin of each never passing three runs, which occurred during the game that went to extra innings. The Gamecocks outhit the Tigers in two out of three games but did not finish their chances.

Sage Mardjetko took the loss in game three after giving up three runs on two hits in the 10th. Vawter threw 4.2 innings and struck out four batters.

Jori Heard got the start and threw 3.2 innings allowing two runs on one hit while striking out five. Betenbaugh came on for a quick stint, pitching 2/3 of an inning.

Hits were hard to find for both teams in the series. South Carolina struck first in the final game, picking up a one-run lead in the fourth inning following a sacrifice fly.

That lead did not last long with Missouri capturing the advantage after a two-run home run in the fifth.

South Carolina tied the game in the bottom half of the fifth after Bryant attempted to steal home. The Missouri catcher in an attempt to record the out was called for obstruction, scoring the tying run.

The offense slowed to a halt until extra innings. The Gamecocks got runners in scoring position a few times but never capitalized on those chances.

The eighth and ninth innings were scoreless for both teams. But in the 10th Missouri hit the go-ahead strike. A three-run homer put the Tigers on top, and while the Gamecocks got two runners on in the bottom half, the team failed to bring any runs in, ending the game and their regular season with a loss.

South Carolina’s focus will now shift to the postseason where they were scheduled to begin SEC tournament play on May 8 against Mississippi State.