KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 1 Tennessee came from behind to beat No. 24 South Carolina 8-3 on Friday night inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Vols found themselves in trouble in the top of the second inning. The Gamecocks loaded the bases with just one out. Tahnadge LeCroy singled to shortstop to give South Carolina a 1-0 lead. Gavin Casas hit another single to get them up 2-0.
They'd add another run of a flyout to go up 3-0.
Christian Moore hit yet another home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to finally get the Vols on the scoreboard. The solo shot made is 3-1. It's his 27th of his season, which extends his single-season program record and also marks his third home run of the series.
Billy Amick and Dylan Dreiling hit back-to-back singles to get on first and second base after that. Hunter Ensley then brought them both home with a three-run home run to give the Vols a 4-3 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, Moore made an incredible defensive play to end the top half of the inning. He was fired up after diving after a ground ball and getting the ball to a stretched out Blake Burke at first base for the out.
The dagger came in the bottom of the seventh inning. Blake Burke drilled a grand slam to center field to put UT up 8-3.
The grand slam was the Vols' 11th of the season, which breaks the SEC record for most in a season by a team previously set by LSU with 10 in 1998.
Tennessee remains one game behind Kentucky in the race for the SEC regular season title and SEC East division title. The Wildcats blasted Vanderbilt 17-7 on Friday night. The race comes down to the last game of the regular season now.
The best the Vols can do is clinch a share by beating South Carolina in the final game of the series and hope Vanderbilt beats Kentucky. Even though the two teams would be tied inr record and the Vols beat Kentucky in a series this season, that wouldn't determine an outright champion.
It would only be a tiebreaker for seeding in the SEC Tournament.
They'd go on to win 8-3. The Vols and Gamecocks will go for the series sweep on Saturday at 1 p.m.
