University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
South Carolina
Vols Drop Series Finale to #6 Gamecocks, 4-3
April 10, 2016 | Baseball
COLUMBIA, S.C.-- With help from a strong start by senior Andy Cox, Tennessee matched No. 6-ranked South Carolina hit-for-hit through seven innings in the series finale but the Gamecocks prevailed, taking a 4-3 win on Sunday at Founders Park.
With the loss, Tennessee moves to 18-14 (3-9 SEC) on the season and 39-56 in their all-time series against South Carolina (28-5, 10-2 SEC).
Cox dealt 6.2 innings, including 4.1 shutout frames to begin his eighth start of the season. He finished the day allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts, while notching his 200th career strikeout for the Big Orange in the second inning.
The Volunteers collected 10 hits against South Carolina, with Vincent Jackson (2-for-4), Benito Santiago (2-for-5) and Chris Hall (2-for-4) leading the charge. Tennessee also played had a season-high four batters reaching base as hit batsmen on Sunday.
With runners on first and second, senior Jared Pruett (1-for-3, RBI) put the Volunteers on the boards in the second inning with an RBI-single down the first base line.
Tennessee struck again in the fifth as Santiago and Hal reached via back-to-back base hits. With runners on the corners, Nick Senzel (0-for-5, RBI) then reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Santiago to score from third and further UT's lead to 2-0.
Following a two-run double to left field by Marcus Mooney, the Gamecocks tied the game up at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the sixth as sacrifice fly by catcher Tyler Schultz (1-for-1, RBI, 2 HBP) scored Jackson from third to move UT ahead, 3-2. South Carolina answered with one run in the bottom of the frame, again tying the game at 3-3.
The tie held until the bottom of the eighth, when two walks granted by Tennessee put runners on base for pinch-hitter Alex Destino. Destino knocked an RBI-single into left, putting USC on top 4-3, before a Schultz snagged a pop-up behind the plate to bring the Vols back in for the ninth.
Three consecutive base hits loaded the bases for UT in the ninth. With the table set, a fielder's choice grounder (out at home plate), a strikeout and a flyout behind second base ended the Vols' comeback and gave South Carolina the 4-3 final.
In relief of Cox, righthander Steven Kane entered in the seventh and threw 1.0 inning, allowing one run. Freshman Alex Harper-Cook (0.0) and righty Jon Lipinski (0.1) then combined to hold the Gamecocks' one-run lead in the eighth.
Vol Baseball Quick Hits
- With a strikeout against South Carolina's TJ Hopkins in the second inning, senior Andy Cox recorded his 200th career strikeout for the Big Orange.
- Chris Hall reached base in the first inning via hit-by-pitch and has now been plunked 10 times this year.
- As a team, Tennessee was hit by a pitch four times - twice for Tyler Schultz - which marks a new single-game season high for the Volunteers.
- Sunday's attendance at Founders Park: 7,314
- On Deck for the Volunteers: The Volunteers return home to Rocky Top and take on Appalachian State (8-23, 3-11 Sun Belt) in a midweek contest on Tuesday, April 12 at 6 p.m. ET. From there, Tennessee continues SEC play on the road next weekend with a trip to visit the Auburn Tigers.
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee Baseball, visit UTSports.com/Baseball and follow @Vol_Baseball on Twitter.
