Tennessee had just let its lead slip away again.

The No. 1 Vols, who took a three-run lead in the fourth inning and then a two run lead in the eighth, were even against South Carolina at Founders Park late into the afternoon on Saturday. Then Cannon Peebles stepped up to the plate.

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The Tennessee catcher made contact with the second pitch he faced from Brandon Stone in the top of the ninth and sent the ball over the wall in left-center for the Vols' third home run and the lead. This one was the difference in a 7-5 series-claiming triumph over the Gamecocks.

Tennessee (25-2, 7-1 SEC) has won its first three conference series.

The Vols' lineup accounted for eight hits with Peebles, Reese Chapman and Andrew Fischer each hitting home runs in timely fashion. Chapman's homer put Tennessee up 3-0 before South Carolina (17-11, 1-7) came back to take the lead in the sixth.

Fischer's two-run shot in the eighth put the Vols back in front, but the Gamecocks answered to draw even for the third time. Peebles put them away for good and Nate Snead (2-0) closed the door in the bottom ninth.

Snead took over after a brief outing from Brandon Arvidson, the first reliever for starter Marcus Phillips, and allowed three hits and one run while striking out one in 3.2 innings of work.

Snead twice prevented South Carolina from adding to its lead, stranding multiple base runners in the sixth and eighth.

Marcus Phillips looked untouchable in the first inning.

The right-hander struck out two and send South Carolina down in order to start. Phillips was on the cusp of another 1-2-3 frame in the second before Beau Hollins singled down the line in left for the Gamecocks' first hit.

It was followed by second baseman Manny Marin going into the grass for a ball and making the throw over to first keep Tennessee and South Carolina scoreless through two.

The Vols very nearly took the lead in the third after Dean Curley sent a ball to the wall in deep left-center, but center fielder Nathan Hall snagged it there and Tennessee came away with nothing for the third time.

The Gamecocks, meanwhile, had no answers for Phillips. He tossed his fourth and fifth strikeouts in the third and again sat them down in order.

Andrew Fischer singled to right in the fourth for just the Vols' second hit to put a runner on with one out. A passed ball moved him over to second and into scoring position with Levi Clark, the designated hitter at the plate.

Clark ended up drawing a walk, and Tennessee was putting together its biggest threat of the game with two on and one out.

Reese Chapman didn't waste the opportunity. He mashed a three-run shot over the wall in center and the Vols led 3-0.

South Carolina pitcher Jarvis Evans Jr. limited the damage there, then the Gamecocks answered back in the bottom half on a Jase Woita solo home run to left to trim Tennessee's advantage to 3-1.

Phillips recovered, though, striking out the next two batters to keep the Vols in front heading into the fifth.

Dalton Bargo had a two-out single in the top fifth, but the Vols were unable to capitalize on it, and South Carolina put Phillips in a jam for the first time after Hollins and Jordan Carrion started the bottom half with back-to-back singles.

Gavin Braland singled to third and the Gamecocks had the bases loaded with no outs. Henry Kaczmar drove in a run on a fly-out to left, then Hall grounded out to third to draw South Carolina even at 3-3.

Tennessee did get out of the inning without losing lead, but the Gamecocks had shifted the momentum back their way through five innings.

Brandon Arvidson took over for Phillips in the sixth after the Vols were sent down in order in the top half, but after a quick out, he was in some trouble with the base loaded after allowing three-straight singles.

It made for a short outing for Arvidson. He was replaced by Nate Snead.

The Gamecocks took the lead, 4-3 on a fielder's choice, but that was all. A ground out at first followed and Tennessee's first deficit of the afternoon was held at one.

Bargo recorded the Vols' first hit since his own single in the fifth with one out in the eighth. Tennessee made the most of this one.

With two outs, Fischer hit a two-run home run to center and the Vols had the lead again, 5-4, but it was short-lived.

South Carolina clapped back in the next frame, getting two on and then tying Tennessee, 5-5 off of Hollins' RBI single to right. Fortunately for the Vols, Braland hit grounded into a double play to Fischer at first to keep the score even.

Jay Abernathy singled to right with one out in the ninth and Cannon Peebles provided Tennessee with its biggest hit of the day, a two-run home run to right-center to give the Vols the lead again, 7-5.

Tennessee will got its second SEC series sweep in three weeks in Game 3 on Sunday.

The Vols haven't announced who will start on the mound, though freshman right-hander Tegan Kuhns (2-0, .71 ERA) has started three Sunday games this season, including against Alabama last weekend.

South Carolina's starting pitcher is still to be determined.

First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

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