Box Score (PDF) | Series Stats (PDF)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Only allowing one hit and hitting four home runs, the second-ranked Tennessee baseball team beat South Carolina, 10-0, to complete the series sweep on SEC Opening Weekend.
Drew Beam had a masterful start for the Big Orange, taking a perfect game into the seventh inning, before giving up a leadoff double to center field. In total, the freshman right-hander went 7.2 innings and struck out three. Beam’s success, and deep outing came from his efficiency in throwing strikes. He totaled 86 pitches, 67 of which were strikes.
The Vols (19-1, 3-0 SEC) only allowed the one hit, their second one-hitter of the week after holding Eastern Kentucky to one hit on Tuesday.
At the plate, Tennessee popped another four home runs out of Lindsey Nelson Stadium – upping their series total to 10 against the Gamecocks. Evan Russell accounted for two of Sunday’s home runs, while Christian Moore and Trey Lipscomb each hit one.
All was quiet through the first two and a half innings as the first 15 batters to come to the plate were retired. Then Moore and Russell brought the Sunday afternoon crowd of 4,233 to its feet with back-to-back jacks to left field to kick off the bottom of the third. Russell wasted no time following up Moore’s leadoff homer, blasting a first-pitch fastball over the wall in left center.
South Carolina starting pitcher Matthew Becker did well to limit the Vols to only two hits, both homers, but UT was able to chase the southpaw after only five innings. Once into the Gamecock bullpen, the bats came alive, scoring four runs in the sixth on a two-run double to left from Drew Gilbert, followed by a towering blast from Lipscomb, his ninth home run of the season.
The late offensive onslaught from the Big Orange was able to plate eight runs in the final three innings.
The Volunteer bats remained hot in the seventh. Seth Stephenson, in his first at bat of the game, ripped a double to the power alley in right center to quickly get a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs. Jordan Beck roped a double to left center to score both runners, making it 8-0 Vols.
Tennessee finished off the scoring in the eighth inning. Russell sent a deep fly just inside the foul pole in left to increase the lead to 10-0.
UP NEXT: The Vols cap their homestand with a midweek game against Butler on Tuesday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m.
NOTABLE
FOUR TIMES THE FUN
Tennessee’s back-to-back homers in the third inning marked the fourth time this season the Big Orange hit the long ball in consecutive at-bats.
ONE-HIT WONDERS
Tennessee held South Carolina to one hit on Sunday, its second game of the week only allowing one opponent knock. The last time the Vols held an opponent to one hit prior to this week was on Feb. 27, 2019 against Middle Tennessee. The last time the Vols gave up one hit against an SEC opponent was on March 18, 2005 at Auburn. VFL Luke Hochevar threw a complete-game one-hitter in a 2-1 Tennessee victory.
QUALITY ABs
Vol hitters forced South Carolina to go to the bullpen early on account of three long at-bats. Jorel Ortega and Jordan Beck had 11- and 10-pitch at bats against Becker, while Russell had an eight-pitch AB, as well.
FIRING BLANKS
For the fifth time this season, Tennessee’s pitching staff shut out its opponent. Entering the weekend, the Vols ranked second nationally in shutouts, one behind the national leader, Virginia.
-UT Athletics
