LITTLE ROCK — KENTUCKY 5, MISSISSIPPI STATE 1
HOOVER, Ala. - Thomas McCarthy almost outhit Mississippi State by himself Thursday and starter Jerad Grundy overcame some early jitters as Kentucky (43-15) moved into the semifinals of the SEC Tournament at Regions Park.
McCarthy, Kentucky’s senior third baseman, went 4 for 5 with 1 RBI and scored 3 runs.
That was more than enough for Grundy (5-3), who gave up three hits in the first inning before settling down and striking out nine over six innings to pick up the victory. Alex Phillips followed with three hitless innings of relief for his seventh save.
Mississippi State (36-22) finished the game with just four hits.
Kendall Graveman (4-4) took the loss, giving up 6 hits and 2 runs in 2 1/3 innings.
Michael Williams added three hits for Kentucky. Mississippi State’s Hunter Renfroe went 2 for 4. Trey Porter drove in Mississippi State’s lone run with a twoout single in the first inning.
LSU 11, OLE MISS 2
Jordy Snikeris homered, doubled and drove in four runs to power LSU (43-15) to a victory over Ole Miss (35-24) in an elimination game.
Snikeris pinch-hit in the eighth and helped the Tigers score seven runs in the final two innings.
Tyler Hanover went 4 for 5 and scored 2 runs for LSU, while Austin Nola’s three hits included an RBI double.
LSU starter Kevin Gausman (10-1) allowed 2 runs in 7 innings, scattering 7 hits.
Auston Bousfield had three hits, including two doubles, to lead Ole Miss. His ground-rule double scored Zach Kirksey in the sixth, and he doubled and scored in the first.
Alex Yarbrough had two hits for the Rebels, who had allowed only two runs in their first two SEC Tournament games.
SOUTH CAROLINA 5, AUBURN 3
Adam Matthews went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI as South Carolina (40-16) built a five-run lead and held on to defeat Auburn (31-28) in an elimination game.
The Gamecocks play either Florida or Vanderbilt today.
Matthews had RBI singles in the fourthand fifth innings as South Carolina jumped ahead 5-0.
Auburn scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings to cut the lead to 5-3, but Matt Price retired the Tigers in order in the ninth for his 10th save.
Michael Roth (6-1) picked up the victory, while Cory Luckie (2-2) took the loss.
The Gamecocks had 13 hits. Justin Bryant was 2 for 4 with 1 RBI for the Tigers.
VANDERBILT 2, FLORIDA 1
Riley Reynolds hit a two-run triple and Sam Selman pitched six scoreless innings to lead Vanderbilt past Florida.
The victory gives the Commodores (32-25) a bye until Saturday. Florida (41-17) plays South Carolina today in an elimination game.
Florida’s Hudson Randall (7-2) allowed one hit through 3 2/3 innings before walking Conrad Gregor and Spencer Navin with two outs in the fourth. Reynolds then tripled to the gap in right-center field.
The Gators nearly tied the game in the seventh, but Preston Tucker’s long fly to right field was caught on the warning track. Nolan Fontana scored from third on the sacrifice fly.
Selman (9-3) struck out 7 and gave up only 2 hits, though he walked 4 and hit 2 batters. Jared Miller gave up one hit over the final 2 1/3 to earn his first save.
At a glance At Regions Park, Hoover, Ala.
TUESDAY’S GAMES Mississippi State 9, Arkansas 1 Kentucky 2, Ole Miss 0 Florida 6, Auburn 1 Vanderbilt 4, Georgia 1 WEDNESDAY’S GAMES Ole Miss 2, Arkansas 0 Mississippi State 3, LSU 2 Auburn 3, Georgia 2 Vanderbilt 3, South Carolina 2 THURSDAY’S GAMES LSU 11, Ole Miss 2 Kentucky 5, Mississippi State 1 South Carolina 5, Auburn 3 Vanderbilt 2, Florida 1 TODAY’S GAMES LSU vs. Mississippi State, 3 p.m. So. Carolina vs. Florida, TBD
Sports, Pages 25 on 05/25/2012