Vols Shutout South Carolina to Achieve First Conference Series Sweep of the Season

The Vols defeated South Carolina 10-0 in game three of UT's first SEC series to complete the sweep of the Gamecocks.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– The No. 7 (D1 Baseball.com T25) Vols faced off against the South Carolina Gamecocks in Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Sunday afternoon in hopes to perform their first conference series sweep of the season. Led by an impressive outing from freshman Drew Beam ,back-to-back home runs from Christian Moore and Evan Russell in the third inning and four runs in the second inning, Tennessee eased past the Gamecocks 10-0 to complete the sweep. 

UT handled South Carolina in the first two games of the series, winning 8-3 and 5-2, respectively. In those games, South Carolina totaled 10 hits, with Chase Burns and Chase Dollander allowing two and three, respectively. But Beam shut down the Gamecocks in impressive fashion, allowing one hit and zero runs in his first start in conference play. 

Beam's final line from his incredible performance is below. 

Drew Beam final line in 7.2 IP (in his first SEC start): 1 H, 3 K, 0 BB, 67 strikes on 86 TP on 24 batters faced.
Fantastic day from the freshman who continues to impress for the #Vols.

Only one time did a Gamecock get on base today in 24 at bats against Beam.

— Jack Foster (@jackfostermedia) March 20, 2022

Tennessee's bats heated up as the game progressed. Christian Moore and Evan Russell allowed the Vols to take a two-run lead in the bottom of the third with back-to-back solo shots over the left field wall, but the bottom of the sixth inning is where separated Tennessee from the Gamecocks, as the Vols smacked three hits and scored two runs in the frame. The Vols went on to put together consecutive two-run innings in the seventh and eighth, and South Carolina continued to have nothing for the Vols at the plate. 

Mark McLaughlin, Wyatt Evans and Ben Joyce all got work for UT for the remainder of the game, and the Gamecocks could not get on base against the relievers. 

Beam's remarkable day highlights the storylines from the Vols' series clinching win. (Read below)

Drew Beam Dazzles in First Career SEC Start

Beam has been fantastic so far in his first season on Rocky Top, allowing seven hits through his first four starts (17 innings), and the freshman dazzled yet again against the Gamecocks. 

Beam made quick work of South Carolina in the first inning, retiring the Gamecocks' batters in order to kickstart a theme in Knoxville on Sunday. 

Beam went on to retire the Gamecocks in order in the first six innings, throwing 50 strikes on only 65 total pitches in the stretch. 

Christian Moore and Evan Russell Get Tennessee on the Board

After South Carolina's Matthew Becker retired the side in the first two innings, the Vols found some offense in the bottom of the third with back-to-back home runs courtesy Christian Moore and Evan Russell. 

Moore delivered a solo shot to the left field double decker porches in Lindsey Nelson stadium to get the Vols on the board, marking his seventh home run of his freshman season. Moore has not consistently started in the field, but the slugger has found a role as one of Tennessee's best designated hitters with 17 RBIs in 30 at bats. 

Following Moore in the lineup, Evan Russell wasted no time leaving the yard, as the senior sent the first pitch thrown his way over the left center wall to put Tennessee up 2-0 in the blink of an eye. The homer marked Russell's fifth of the season and second-team-high 20th RBI. 

Tennessee Finds Success at the Plate as Game Progresses

Similar to Beam, outside of Moore and Russell's home runs, South Carolina's pitchers had done a good job of handling Tennessee. 

And then the sixth inning struck. 

The Vols scored four runs in the sixth inning thanks to a two-run RBI double from Drew Gilbert and a two-run blast from Trey Lipscomb. Lipscomb hit the two run shot on the third pitch of his at bat to put his team up 6-0 at the time. The senior's home run improved his season totals to team-high 36 RBIs, nine home runs and 28 hits. 

Tennessee continued to find runs in the seventh and eighth innings as Jordan Beck cracked a two-run double to score Seth Stephenson and Cortland Lawson, and Evan Russell made contact for another home run to score Blake Burke and himself. Russell's two-run shot was the final hit for Tennessee on the afternoon. 

After Christian Moore and Evan Russell kicked off the scoring with back-to-back home runs in the third inning, every run the Vols scored for the rest of the game came off of 2 RBI hits (Gilbert, Lipscomb, Beck, and Russell). 

What's Next? 

Tennessee will take on Butler on Tuesday night in Knoxville at 6:30 p.m. ET for a midweek contest. 

After the midweek bout with the Bulldogs, the Vols will look to continue their impressive play into the second weekend of conference play, as Tennessee travels to Ole Miss to take on the No. 1 Rebels. 

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Photo Credit: Tennessee Athletics Communications