KENTUCKY 5, TENNESSEE 3
Ka’ai Tom and JaVon Shelby hit backto-back home runs in the fifth inning and Zach Logue worked 2 2/3 shutout innings in relief for the victory, as Kentucky (22-16, 8-9 SEC) posted its first series sweep in conference play since 2012 with a victory over Tennessee (15-20, 5-13) at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, Ky.
The Wildcats scored single runs in the first and third innings, bracketing a Tennessee run in the second. Tom’s tworun home run came in the fifth inning, followed by Shelby’s home run for a 5-1 lead. Tennessee managed two runs in the ninth but couldn’t catch up.
Andrew Nelson worked 4 1/3 innings for Kentucky, allowing 2 hits and 1 unearned run with 3 strikeouts and 1 walk.
Logue (2-1) allowed 2 hits and 1 walk with 2 strikeouts. Spencer got the final two outs for his fifth save of the year.
Tennessee starter Drake Owenby (2-5) worked 2 1/3 innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 runs, striking out 4.
ALABAMA 6-3, MISSOURI 0-5
Missouri took advantage of strong pitching performances from Tanner Houck and Andrew Schwaab as the Tigers (26-14, 12-6 SEC) split Saturday’s doubleheader with Alabama (20-18, 7-11) at Hi Simmons Field in Columbia, Mo. Houck tallied eight strikeouts but was charged with the loss in his start, and Schwaab claimed the victory in the second game with 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Tigers hit four home runs in the second game after getting shutout in the opener, three coming in the fourth inning from Jake Ring, Ryan Howard and Trey Harris, and Josh Lester hit a two-run, goahead home run to right in the sixth.
In the first game, Alabama freshman Jake Walters pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out five in Alabama’s fifth shutout of the season.
SOUTH CAROLINA 3,
VANDERBILT 2
South Carolina (25-16, 8-10 SEC) rallied from a two-run deficit with a threerun sixth inning for a victory over No. 4 Vanderbilt (29-12, 12-6) to clinch the three-game series Saturday at Carolina Stadium in Columbia, S.C.
Trailing 2-0, the Gamecocks scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. Max Schrock took a 2-2 pitch to deep right-center for a triple, driving in DC Arendas, who was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Kyle Martin followed with a walk to put runners at first and third. A single up the middle by Alex Destino brought home Schrock. With two outs and runners on first and second, Logan Koch singled to left to score Martin and give the Gamecocks a one-run lead. Cody Mincey (2-2) earned the victory in relief. Vanderbilt starter John Kilichowski (2-2) lost. He allowed 3 runs on 4 hits in 5-plus innings with 2 walks.
LSU 4-9, GEORGIA 1-1
LSU swept a doubleheader from Georgia on Saturday at Foley Field in Athens, Ga.
In the first game, LSU freshman Alex Lange (7-0) allowed 2 runs on 5 hits in 6 innings and Hunter Newman pitched three scoreless innings for his second save. Georgia’s Ryan Lawlor (4-5) took the loss. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first, and Georgia tied the score in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff home run by Nick King. In the fifth, a wild pitch by Lawlor made it 2-1 and in the seventh, the Tigers got a two-out, two-run double from Kade Scivicque to make it 4-1.
In the second game, Scivicque extended his hitting streak to 23 games with a one-out home run and Chris Sciambra pulled off a safety squeeze bunt, scoring Andrew Stevenson, to make it 2-0. Georgia’s Zack Bowers hit his team-leading seventh home run in the bottom of the second to close the gap.
FLORIDA 2, MISSISSIPPI ST. 1
Ryan Larson snapped a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning with a safety squeeze that brought home Peter Alonso with the winning run as Florida (30-10, 11-6 SEC) edged Mississippi State (22-18, 6-11) at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Miss.
Alonso went 3 for 4 with an RBI single. Starter Aaron Rhodes (1-0) notched his first victory of the season and reliever Bobby Poyner yielded one hit over 2 1/3 scoreless innings for his third save.
Alonso gave the Gators a 1-0 lead with a two-out single up the middle in the fourth, but Mississippi State tied the score in the bottom on Wes Rea’s RBI single.