Baseball Falls to Tennessee Friday Night

KNOXVILLE  – Tennessee scored four runs in the sixth and seventh frames to come-from-behind and defeat the University of South Carolina baseball team, 8-3, Friday night (May 17) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Gamecocks put three on the board in the top of the second. Cole Messina singled and went to second on a failed pickoff. After a walk to Kennedy Jones, another error loaded the bases. Talmadge LeCroy reached on an RBI infield single and Gavin Casas followed with an RBI single to center. Austin Brinling brought in the third run with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Dalton Reeves.

Carolina kept that 3-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth. Christian Moore hit a solo home run for the first run of the inning. After a pair of singles, Hunter Ensley hit a two-out, three-run home run to left field to give Tennessee the one-run lead. The Vols added four more in the seventh on Blake Burke’s grand slam.

Messina went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Carolina offense. Garrett Gainey went 5.2 innings and pitched stellar until the sixth. He allowed seven hits and four runs with five strikeouts and no walks.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Messina now has five hits in the Tennessee series.
• Gainey now has 61 strikeouts compared to just six walks this year.
• Michael Polk struck out a pair in an inning of relief.

UP NEXT
Carolina closes out the regular season Saturday afternoon (May 18) against Tennessee. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.