Top-seeded Tennessee advanced to the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals with a victory over LSU Friday,
The Volunteers captured a 5-2 victory in a game that concluded early Saturday morning at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.
UT (51-7) opened a 2-0 lead as it scored twice in the first inning against the fourth-seeded Tigers (38-19).
Jordan Beck opened the scoring with an RBI triple that drove in Luc Lipcius. The Vols extended their lead to 2-0 when Beck, who went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, scored on a wild pitch.
In the second, Beck walked with the bases loaded to make it, 3-0.
LSU pulled to within 3-2 with a pair of runs in the fifth.
The Vols, however, would respond with two in the bottom of the inning as Drew Gilbert hit an RBI single and Jorel Ortega hit a scoring double.
Tennessee starter Chase Dollander (9-0) pitched 6.2 innings. He allowed two runs (one earned), four hits and two walks. He had nine strikeouts.
Reliever Redmond Walsh recorded his seventh save of the season as he pitched two innings. He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one.
It was his 23rd career save, which ties Todd Helton’s career record.
With the win, Tennessee advances to face either the Tigers or Kentucky.
First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. EDT.
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