Gamecocks lose Game 2, drop series to No. 7 Tennessee

A week after taking a series from then No. 1 Texas, South Carolina has dropped the first two games of its first SEC series against No. 7 Tennessee with a 5-2 setback Saturday afternoon at Doug Lindsey Stadium in Knoxville.

The Gamecocks were handcuffed to five hits against the Volunteers pitching staff. Kevin Madden and Brandt Belk accounted for the two runs with solo home runs in the third and eighth innings, respectively.

Will Sanders suffered his first loss of the season to fall to 3-1. The sophomore right-hander pitched in and out of trouble in 4.2 innings Saturday. He allowed five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and three walks. He allowed solo home runs to Trey Lipcius and Jordan Beck.

The Volunteers (18-1, 2-0) scored twice in the first inning. Lipcuis hammered a 3-2 pitch into the wind for a 1-0 lead. Beck, who went 3-for-4, singled and later scored on a single by Jorel Ortega.

Beck led off the third inning with his fifth home run of the season. Tennessee chased Sanders with a two-run fifth inning. Ortega delivered an RBI double and Burke followed with a run-scoring triple off the glove of Joshua Sightler at first base.

Freshman Cade Austin was outstanding for USC in 3.1 innings of work. He allowed two base-runners on a walk and a hit batter. He didn’t allow a hit and set a career-high with five strikeouts and the one walk.

UT starter Chase Dollander, a transfer from Georgia Southern, improved to 3-0. He allowed one run on three hits. He struck out seven and walked one. Three Tennessee pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts.

South Carolina (10-8, 0-2 SEC) struck out 21 times in the first two games of the series.

This story was originally published March 19, 2022 at 3:09 PM.