Brady Allen’s go-ahead homer lifts South Carolina past No. 4 Tennessee, ties series
South Carolina center fielder Brady Allen didn’t even have to look.
The emphatic cracking of metal against leather offered a clue. So too did the raucous roars of the 5,712 fans in attendance at Founders Park on Friday night, each whipping a white rally towel given to them at the gates.
Turning on a 1-1 offering from Volunteers reliever Camden Sewell, Allen annihilated the pitch five rows into the grandstand down the left-field line for a go-ahead three-run homer and sent No. 21 South Carolina (33-19, 16-13 SEC) to a 3-2 win over No. 4 Tennessee (41-14, 19-10).
“I honestly couldn’t feel anything,” Allen said postgame through an ear-to-ear grin. “I was numb. I just couldn’t believe it.”
Welcoming the largest crowd of the year to a newly unrestricted Founders Park, South Carolina slogged through its first four innings of work in familiar fashion. Four times the Gamecocks mustered leadoff hits. Thrice head coach Mark Kingston’s club stranded runners on the basepaths.
Rediscovered starter Brett Kerry did his part to abate the offensive woes, striking out three of the first six batters he faced. Mixing in his devilishly tricky breaking ball with a fastball that sat in the low-to-mid 90s, Kerry sliced and diced his way through the Volunteer lineup early.
After strutting his way through two innings of one-hit ball, Kerry was briefly tagged for a solo homer by Tennessee designated hitter Peter Derkay.
One inning later, Volunteers six-hole hitter Luc Lipcious smoked a towering fly ball toward the right-field wall. Giving chase, Gamecocks right fielder Andrew Eyster reached the warning track and looked up only to see the ball crash into the grass near the outfield concourse.
Home runs aside, Kerry quickly locked down. He retired five consecutive batters between long balls. Following Lipcious’ homer, Kerry went 1-2-3 in the fifth inning and struck out two to end the sixth.
“He’s just an assassin,” Kingston said. “He really is. He’s just an assassin out there.”
Trotting back onto the mound for the seventh inning, Kerry worked himself into a slight jam when Tennessee put runners on second and third with back-to-back singles. South Carolina’s starter then promptly set down Connor Pavolony and Liam Spence with nearly identical pop ups to second base.
As the lame duck off Spence’s bat sank into second baseman Braylen Wimmer’s mitt, Kerry — who threw a strike on 72 of his 106 pitches — let out a yell and a thrusting fist pump. The crowd roared in approval as the sea of white towels erupted once more.
“That strike-two pitch to the last guy in seventh inning and the crowd went crazy — hair stood up on my arm and I got really, really juiced up,” Kerry conceded. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t getting excited.”
Behind Kerry, Julian Bosnic set down each eighth inning Volunteer batter he faced via a pop-up to shortstop and a pair of groundouts.
Bosnic, who’s recently taken over closing duties from freshman Will Sanders, repeated his formula in the ninth with two pop-ups sandwiched by a strikeout.
With the final out finding a Gamecock glove, South Carolina’s familiar mascot, Cocky, erupted atop the home dugout as the Founders Park crowd was sent into one last frenzy.
“The thing I’ll remember years from now is the environment,” Kingston said. “I think in my time here that was the most fun environment we’ve had.”
Sitting No. 12 in the latest RPI, South Carolina’s hopes of hosting a regional hung in the balance heading into the weekend. Now evened up with a Volunteers squad that’s fighting for a Southeastern Conference title with No. 1 Arkansas, the Gamecocks have one final chance to stake their claim at a regional bid Saturday.
Normally tighter with his words following losses and a smidge more relaxed after a win, Kingston admitted postgame his squad was well aware of Game 3’s ramifications. If anything, it’s added juice for a team that fed off the year’s most boisterous crowd Friday night.
“I’m not on the committee, but it would seem that would be the case,” Kingston said when asked if a win Saturday would secure hosting privileges. “... Obviously, it’s within striking distance right now and it’s a matter of playing great baseball and let the chips fall where they may.”
Watch: South Carolina vs Tennessee baseball Game 3
Who: No. 21 South Carolina vs. No. 4 Tennessee
When: Noon Saturday
Where: Founders Park
Watch: SEC Network
This story was originally published May 21, 2021 at 9:42 PM.
