A familiar, deflating script was replaying itself for Tennessee in the seventh inning late Saturday at Alex Box Stadium.

The No. 6 Vols, leaning on a stellar outng from starting pitcher Marcus Phillips, entered the frame with a three-run lead. Then No. 7 LSU, which walked off Tennessee with a six-run ninth, came to life.

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The Tigers homered twice off of Phillips in the frame, trimming the Vols' lead to one run before Dylan Loy was called in to try and get Tennessee out of it.

Loy delivered, then the Vols plated six runs in eighth to headline a 9-3 series-evening win with LSU.

Catcher Cannon Peebles paced Tennessee (35-8, 13-7 SEC) at the plate, going 2-of-5 with five RBIs, including a three-run home run the seventh. Second baseman Gavin Kilen was 3-of-6 and left fielder Dalton Bargo was 2-of-5 with two RBIs.

Phillips (3-3) allowed three hits and two runs, but struck out six in 100 pitches and 6.2 innings of work before Loy entered.

Loy gave up one hit and one run to earn his second save of the season.

LSU (35-9, 13-7) totaled just four hits.

It wasn't quite the pitchers duel from Game 1 on Friday. Tennessee was getting runners on base, reaching in each of the first three frames.

Ariel Antigua singled off the wall in left in the third inning, then stole second. Andrew Fischer was intentionally walked and the Vols had runners on the corners with two outs.

But just as he had in the first couple of frames, LSU starter Anthony Eyanson got out of it, leaving both runners stranded with his fifth strikeout.

Marcus Phillips returned the favor the bottom third. Michael Braswell III drew a lead-off walk and made his way over to third via two steals, but Phillips left him there with a strikeout.

Tennessee had a breakthrough at the plate in the fourth, starting with Reese Chapman double to left. Dalton Bargo followed it up with a single to center, and Cannon Peebles drove in the Vols' first run on an RBI single to left-center that scored Chapman.

Antigua scored another on a ground out, platting Bargo and extended the Tennessee lead to 2-0.

Gavin Kilen put the Vols in position for another run in the fifth, leading off the top half of the inning with a double off of the wall in right-center. But Tennessee came away empty-handed after Chapman struck out looking and Kilen was thrown out at third.

The Tigers put together their most significant threat in the bottom fifth. Steve Milam doubled to left to start off the frame for their first hit, and a wild pitch got him to third. But Phillips escape the jam, picked up a bunt towards third and throwing out Derek Curiel out at first and keeping LSU scoreless.

Manny Marin worked a 10-pitch at-bat that he fell behind on 0-2 with two outs and drew a walk in the sixth, ending Eyanson's night. First, the Tigers went to William Schmidt, but after giving up a walk to Antigua, LSU made another change

Mavrick Rizy was the third arm of the inning and he walked Dean Curley to load the bases. But the lengthy frame came to an end on a Kilen ground out at second to keep the Tigers within striking distance.

Tennessee loaded the bases again in the seventh, but got something out of it this time. Peebles drove in his second run with a fly out to left to stretch the Vols' lead to 3-0, but Marin lined out to short to prevent them from adding more.

LSU got to Phillips in the bottom seventh after Milam and Michael Braswell III led off with back-to-back homers to get on the board and the Tennessee lead to 3-2.

Dylan Loy came in to pitch after and a grounded kept the Vols in front through seven.

Looking to respond in the eighth, Tennessee loaded the bases again and a hit-by-pitch on Hunter Ensley scored Antigua and gave the Vols some much-needed insurance at 4-2 with one out.

Bargo came through even more insurance, singling through the right side and scoring two run to up the Tennessee lead to 6-2.

In the next at-bat, Peebles mashed a no-doubter to left to score three runs and open up a 9-2 advantage.

LSU got one back on a John Pearson homer in the eighth, but Loy closed the door for good in the ninth.

Tennessee and LSU will play in a rubber match on Sunday at Alex Box Stadium.

Both teams have yet to announce a starting pitcher.

First pitch in the series finale is set for 3 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

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