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ATLANTA, Ga. — No. 21 Averett University softball's magical season came to an end as the Cougars were eliminated in the NCAA Regionals with a 3-1 loss to Berry College on Saturday afternoon.

Averett (35-5-1) had a memorable season that included the program's second NCAA Tournament appearance, first NCAA Regional win, a USA South Conference regular season championship and a number of team and individual records.

"Being here is an experience for the girls," Averett head coach Bren Taylor said. "I think they had a great experience. They played great ball and I think we had fun. Yes, we don't like the two losses, but it's the experience and the memories that they're going to have for a lifetime."

After losing a tight 1-0 game in the winner's bracket matchup with No. 7 Emory University earlier in the day, Averett faced elimination against Berry (34-7), the team it beat 4-1 in its opening game on Friday. The Vikings, coming off a 10-2 elimination win over LaGrange College moments earlier, struck first. Berry got three singles to load the bases in the second inning. With one out, Ally Claytor hit a sacrifice fly to left field, which allowed Marie Collop to score from third and put the Vikings up 1-0. Averett got out of the inning without any more damage as Allison DeBusk was thrown out trying to take third base on the play.

Averett knotted the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning. With runners on the corners, junior Rhyan Scearce singled to center field, bringing home junior Mary Beth Smith.

Berry answered in the top of the fifth after the Cougars caught a tough break. Following a lead-off single, Averett junior pitcher Jessica Griffin got a ground ball back to the pitching circle, but Griffin was injured on the play before she could field the ball, which allowed the batter to reach first and put to aboard for Berry. After a one-out single loaded the bases, the Cougars got a strikeout and were a strike away from escaping the jam. Berry's Kylie Aiken fouled off a pitch, then drew ball four to walk in the go-ahead run and give the Vikings a 2-1 advantage.

Averett got a runner on base in both the fifth and sixth innings, but Berry held them in check. Meanwhile, the Vikings added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on another sacrifice fly. The Cougars went in order in the bottom of the seventh as their season came to an end.

"We're facing some of the best pitching out there," Taylor said. "We just couldn't get the bat on the ball when we needed to."

Berry advanced to play Emory in Sunday's championship for the right to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals.

For Averett, senior Emily Dunford went 2-for-2 with a walk to lead the Cougars' offense, which totaled seven hits.

"This season was what we wanted," Taylor said. "We knew at the beginning of the season that we had a team that could be here. We are proud of them for getting here."