KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 4 Tennessee beat LSU 6-3 in the series opener inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Friday night.
The Vols got one of their best weapons back for this game, third baseman Billy Amick, who had missed eight games due to an appendix injury. In his first at-bat on the first pitch in the bottom of the first, he hit a two-run home run to put the Vols up 2-0. It was his 11th home run of the year.
Tommy White, who was a big piece of LSU's national championship last season, hit a single up the middle to bring a runner in the top of the third inning. It cut the Vols' lead to 2-1.
The Tigers would load the bases shortly after with two outs. A.J. Causey, who came in relief of Chris Stamos, came up with a big strikeout to send it to the bottom of the third.
With one out in the bottom of the third inning, UT picked up a run with a bases-loaded walk. On a pop-out from Dean Curley to right field, Blake Burke tried to score at home. At a close play at the plate, Burke was called out and the inning was over.
Tennessee added runs in the fifth inning off a couple of LSU mistakes. LSU tried to turn a double play, but second baseman Josh Pearson threw the ball off target to first base and the ball got away and Christian Moore scored. Amick then advanced to third on a wild pitch and then another throwing error allowed him to score for a 5-1 lead.
The Tigers allowed Tennessee to hang around in the inning and Dylan Dreiling made them pay. He hit a solo home run, his 13th of the year, and the Vols led 6-1.
Stamos and Causey combined for ten strikeouts through 7.1 innings, with Causey dealing seven of those. Kirby Connell would come in the eighth inning with one out and was up against it.
LSU loaded the bases once again in the top of the eighth inning with Connell coming into the game. He did not flinch. The mustached man got a strikeout and forced a flyout to send the game to the bottom of the eighth with UT still up 6-1.
LSU loaded the bases again in the top of the ninth inning with one out. White singled to third base on a ball Amick wasn't able to handle, which brought in a run to make the score 6-2.
Connell got the second out in the top of the ninth with his third strikeout. A wild pitch would bring in another run to make it 6-3. Connell got the final out by forcing a groundout and the scare was over as the Vols won.
Game two is on Saturday inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium at 5:30 p.m. Tennessee will go for the series win.
