COLUMBIA – Wes Clarke hit his 21st home run of the season and John Gilreath pitched five innings of relief, but a six-run fourth frame lifted No. 4 Tennessee to a 10-4 win over the University of South Carolina baseball team on Thursday night (May 20) at Founders Park.
Tennessee put up a run in the third and had six runs in the fourth on five hits. Clarke cut the lead to 7-2 with the home run to left. Andrew Eyster made it 7-4 with a two-run home run to center in the eighth inning, but the Vols answered with a three-spot in the ninth for the series opening win.
Eyster and David Mendham had two hits apiece for the Gamecocks. For Tennessee, Max Ferguson and Luc Lipcius had three RBI apiece.
Gilreath allowed a pair of runs on four hits in five innings of relief. Brannon Jordan allowed seven runs on six hits with three strikeouts in 3.2 innings, picking up the loss.
With the win, Tennessee snapped an 11-game losing streak at Founders Park.