#15 Gamecocks Edge #2 Lady Vols, 8-7

Friday, March 23

Columbia, S.C.

6 pm

University of Tennessee

30-2, 0

#16/15 South Carolina

26-4, 0

Tennessee

South Carolina

Photo by: Austin Perryman/Tennessee Athletics

March 23, 2018 | Softball

Box Score

Box Score (PDF) | Highlights | Coach Weekly Post Game

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Abby Lockman and Chelsea Seggern each hit home runs, but No. 2 Tennessee could not survive a late offensive surge by No. 15 South Carolina, falling to the Gamecocks, 8-7, on Friday at Carolina Softball Stadium.

Tennessee (30-2, 3-1 SEC) scored three runs in the top second inning and held a 7-3 lead over South Carolina (26-4, 3-1 SEC) before the Gamecocks scored five unanswered runs over the final three innings.

In the second inning, Lockman opened the scoring for the Lady Vols with a solo home run over the left center wall. With two outs, Aubrey Leach hit a two-RBI triple over the center fielder's head that scored Ashley Morgan and CJ McClain.

The Gamecocks knotted the game at 3-3 with three runs in the bottom half of the third inning. Mackenzie Boesel tripled to center to score Kenzi Maguire and Kamryn Watts. In the next at-bat, Krystan White singled to left field and scored Boesel.

The Lady Vols retook the lead with two more runs in the top of the fourth. Morgan picked up her third home run of the season, a two-RBI shot to dead center that scored pinch runner Sheridan Allen and gave UT the 5-3 lead.

UT extended its lead to 7-3 when it scored two runs in the top of the fifth. Seggern hit a sky-high home run over the right field wall. Three batters later, Amanda Ayala hit a double down the left field line to plate pinch runner Cailin Hannon.

Gamecocks scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth when Tiara Duffy and Boesel each hit a solo home runs over the right field wall.

Jana Johns hit a two-run home run to center field that scored Alex Fulmer in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game up at seven each.

Kenzi Maguire scored the game-winning run in the home seventh on the wild pitch by UT reliever Gabby Sprang.

Sprang fell to 4-1 on the season after allowing the winning run after tossing two-thirds of an inning. Tennessee starter Caylan Arnold struck out four and allowed seven runs over 5.2 frames.

South Carolina's Kelsey Oh (7-2) earned the win after throwing three shutout innings in relief. Starter Dixie Raley allowed seven runs over four frames.

Game 2 of the series is Saturday at 3 p.m. ET with a live broadcast on ESPN2.

NOTES: South Carolina's seven runs scored are the most that Tennessee pitchers have allowed in 2018.