Tennessee beats Mississippi State, moves on to SEC Tournament semifinals

HOOVER, Ala. — Tennessee started its SEC Tournament stay with a loss. Now the Vols are one game away from the championship.

Facing elimination for the second-straight day, 1-seed Tennessee needed some heroics against 5-seed Mississippi State late Friday, losing the lead and then taking it back late to beat the Bulldogs, 6-5 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium and punch its ticket to the tournament semifinals on Saturday.

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The Vols (48-11) appeared on cruise control through the first four innings behind a strong start from right-handed pitcher Drew Beam and some timely hitting to build a 3-0 lead. But Mississippi State (38-21) answered with a five-run fifth to pull ahead.

A throwing error in the seventh drew Tennessee even and Blake Burke, who finished 3-of-3, homered in the eighth to put the Vols back in front for good.

Tennessee's bullpen was efficient, with Aaron Combs and Andrew Bhenke combining to hold the Bulldogs off while Kirby Connell and Nate Snead closed it out in the ninth.

Tennessee

1. Christian Moore (R) - 2B

2. Blake Burke (L) - 1B

3. Billy Amick (R) - 3B

4. Dylan Dreiling (L) - LF

5. Hunter Ensley (R) - CF

6. Kavares Tears (L) - RF

7. Dean Curley (R) - SS

8. Robin Villeneuve (R) - DH

9. Cal Stark (R) - C

RHP Drew Beam

Mississippi State

1. Bryce Chance (R) - LF

2. David Mershon (B) - SS

3. Connor Hujsak (R) - CF

4. Dakota Jordan (R) - RF

5. Logan Kohler (L) - 3B

6. Amani Larry (R) - 2B

7. Hunter Hines (L) - 1B

8. Joe Powell (R) - C

9. Ethan Pulliam (R) - DH

RHP Pico Kohn

Playing as the visiting team for the first time in the tournament, Christian Moore sent the first pitch he saw to the warning track, but Mississippi State center fielder Connor Hujsak robbed him of an early hit with catch against the wall.

Blake Burke followed with a single through the left side and Billy Amick drew a walk to get two on with one out for Tennessee before Bulldogs' starting pitcher Pico Khon recovered to get out of the frame unscathed.

Drew Beam worked a quick, 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half in 12 pitches to remain scoreless through one.

The Vols again posted early base runners in the second, using back-to-back singles from Kavares Tears and Dean Curley to move into scoring position with no outs but Tennessee couldn't take advantage as a strikeout, flyout and pop up stranded both.

For the third-straight inning, the Vols put two runners on, then Hunter Ensley singled to left to load the bases with one out. Tears paid one off with a sac-fly that scored Burke from third to give Tennessee a 1-0 lead.

The Vols were unable to add more, though, leaving two on after Amani Larry made a diving stop at second and making the throw over to first to end the top of the third down one run.

Beam remained efficient through three, sending Mississippi State down in order for the second time in the bottom third.

Moving back into the lineup as a designated hitter in the fourth, Reese Chapman led off the inning with a single to left and Moore walked to get runners on the corners and force a pitching change.

Moore was thrown out trying to steal second, but it allowed Chapman to score easily and extend Tennessee's lead to 2-0.

Mississippi State remained hitless in the fourth, but a hit-by-pitch and two steals moved a runner to third with two outs. Beam ended the threat with his second strikeout.

Dean Curley added to the Vols' lead in the fifth, singling to right to plate a run from Ensley to go up 3-0.

Joe Powell broke up Beam's no-hitter in the fifth and a hit by pitch and walk loaded the bases with two outs. Another walk scored their first run to trim the Tennessee lead to 3-1.

Hujsack drove two more runs with a double to even the score at 3-3, ending Beam's night at 82 pitches.

Reliever Aaron Combs came out of the bullpen with two runners in scoring position. Dakota Jordan sent Combs' second pitch into left to score two and put Mississippi State in front for the first time at 5-3.

Looking to respond in the sixth, Moore and Burke both walked. Burke was out at second on a fielder's choice, leaving Tennessee with runners on the corners and two outs, but another fly out squandered any opportunity to get a run back.

Combs gave up a leadoff double to start the home half of the sixth, but struck out two of the next three batters he faced to strand the runner at second.

Two infield singles from Ensley and Curley and a Chapman walk loaded the bases for Tennessee with one out in the seventh.

Cannon Peebles stepped up to the plate as a pinch-hitter in place of Stark and reached on a fielder's choice, but instead of a double play to get out of the inning, a high throw from Larry allowed Curley and Hensley to again tie the game at 5-5.

After Peebles threw out a runner at second to end the seventh, Burke put the Vols back in front at 6-5 with a solo home run that snuck over the wall right-center to begin the eighth.

Burke's homer proved to be the difference.

1. Dean Curley stretches Tennessee's lead with RBI single in the fifth inning.

2. Throwing error allows Tennessee runners to score and tie the game in the seventh.

3. Blake Burke puts Tennessee back in front with solo home run in the eighth.

Tennessee will play Vanderbilt for the fifth time in two weeks and the second time in three days in the semifinals.

The Commodores, who beat the Vols 13-4 in their SEC Tournament opener on Wednesday, have won two games, outlasting Mississippi State late Thursday to earn a day off in between games and clinch a semifinal berth.

Vanderbilt is looking to get back to the tournament final for the second-straight year.

First pitch in the single elimination game is slated for Saturday (TV: SEC Network) following Game 15 between 10-seed South Carolina and 11-seed LSU, which begins at 1 p.m. ET.

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