Pair of Big Innings Lead #1/1 Vols to Series-Opening Win at South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Two big innings powered No. 1/1 Tennessee to a series-opening 11-7 victory over South Carolina on Friday night at Founders Park.

With the win, the Volunteers (24-2, 6-1 SEC) won their fifth straight over the Gamecocks (17-10, 1-6 SEC) and have won 10 of the last 11 in the series dating back to 2021.

Dean Curley, Dalton Bargo and Jay Abernathy all finished with two hits and drove in runs to lead the offensive charge while Hunter Ensley and Ariel Antigua also had multiple RBIs on the night.

Both teams got off to hot starts offensively with runs in the opening frame. The Vols opened the scoring with a solo home run by Bargo before the Gamecocks answered with a two-run shot from star slugger Ethan Petry in the bottom of the first to briefly take a 2-1 lead.

UT responded immediately with a five-run second inning to regain the lead. The big inning was aided by a critical error from second baseman Jordan Carrion on a potential double play ball with one on and nobody out.

The Big Orange made sure to make USC pay for the miscue, tying the game on an Antigua sacrifice fly before three straight RBI knocks from Curley, Bargo and Ensley made it a 6-2 game. Ensley put an exclamation point on the scoring outburst with a two-run homer to left field.

The Vols struck for four more runs in the top of the fifth inning, all with two outs, to increase their advantage to eight. Abernathy doubled down the left-field line to score one before Antigua and Curley followed with consecutive RBI singles to bring in three more runs.

Carolina scored the next three runs to cut its deficit to five heading into the seventh inning. UT tacked on its final run in the top of the ninth after a triple by Reese Chapman and a sacrifice fly from Manny Marin to make it 11-5.

The Gamecocks didn’t go away quietly, however, as Henry Kaczmar hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to make it a four-run game before Dylan Loy came on to record the final two outs to end the rally.

Two-Out Hitting

Once again, Tennessee was clutch when it mattered most, scoring eight of its 11 runs with two outs. Seven of the Vols’ 10 hits also came with two away.

Doyle in Double-Digits Again

Starting pitcher Liam Doyle earned the win to improve to 4-1 on the year after striking out 11 batters over 5.2 innings. The junior lefthander has posted double-digit strikeouts four times this season.