Mizzou loses lead in seventh inning, drops series finale to South Carolina

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Mizzou Baseball was just nine outs away from clinching an important series win over No. 15 South Carolina. However, the Tigers allowed eight unanswered runs in the final three frames, leading to a 9-4 loss in Sunday's series finale.

Kerrick Jackson's crew has now lost six of its last seven SEC games with just two weekends left in the regular season. MU remains out of the SEC Tournament, sitting in 13th place in the conference and two games behind the final spot in the tournament field.

You can watch the full postgame press conference with Mizzou baseball coach Kerrick Jackson in the video player below.

After South Carolina took a 1-0 lead on a wild pitch in the second inning, Mizzou responded by scoring four runs in the home half of the frame, highlighted by a two-run blast from Danny Corona. The Wake Forest transfer has now hit three home runs this season.

The Tigers only posted two hits after the second frame and struck out 11 times, allowing South Carolina to remain within striking distance of a comeback. In the seventh inning, the Gamecocks tied the game 4-4 on a pair of home runs from Dalton Reeves and Ethan Petry. Then, the visitors added five more runs in the last two innings to build a comfortable five-run lead that MU could not overcome.

Corona, Justin Colon and Trevor Austin tallied Mizzou's only four hits of the game, led by Corona's two-hit, two-RBI effort.

Bryce Mayer was charged with the loss out of the bullpen. The right-hander gave up five earned runs on seven hits in just over three innings of work. Ryan Magdic started on the mound for the Tigers and pitched the first four innings of the contest, allowing just one run on three hits and recording a team-high four strikeouts.

Up next - the Tigers will prepare for their final series of the season at Taylor Stadium. The first of Mizzou's three games against Auburn is scheduled for Friday, May 10 at 6 p.m.