The Vols are going to the SEC tournament final! After an initial defeat to Vanderbilt 13-4 in their first game of the event, Tennessee rallied with wins over Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and finally the Commodores themselves.
The critical moment in the 6-4 win against the rival school came when Christian Moore hit a homer in the top of the sixth, on a pitcher's count of 0-2 and with a runner on second. The moment was impressive, with a fan account describing it as follows:
"I don’t think people realize how insane it is to hit it over the batters eye in Hoover, AL Can’t remember anyone ever doing it Christian Moore is insane"
The Volunteers would score one run more on the eighth, with the Commodores attempting to rally in the bottom of the ninth but to no avail.
Zander Sechrist got the win, after throwing the first six innings of the game and striking out five. He gave up four hits, two runs, a homer and a walk.
With the win, Tennessee advances to play LSU on Sunday in the SEC tournament title game at 3 pm ET. The Vols are looking for their fifth SEC title and the second under current coach Tony Vitello.
LSU to face off against the Vols in SEC title game
After a disappointing regular season, the LSU Tigers showed what they are truly made of.
Consecutive wins over Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina (Twice) allow them to go straight into the SEC title game where they will clash with the Vols on Sunday afternoon.
Their semifinal game against South Carolina went down to the wire, ending 12-11 in extra innings. In the bottom of the tenth, the Tigers were trailing by a run.
Designated hitter Hayden Travinski got a walk to open up the inning, which was followed by a home run by second baseman Steven Milam to seal the victory.
Coach Jay Johnson said this after the game:
“What a game, I think there’s a lot of stories in this game, but it’s about toughness. The toughness that this team has displayed since the middle of the season is special.
"We were in a tough spot, and now we’re one of the best teams in the country. It’s our 40th win of the season, four obviously here (at the SEC Tournament). That happens when you have tough-minded people that deliver great individual performances.”
The win was an impressive one, considering LSU trailed by eight at the bottom of the fourth inning.
At one point it looked like coach Jay Johnson wouldn't be able to coach in the title game on Sunday, after being ejected in the semifinal. The rumors have nonetheless, been dispelled.
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