Tennessee wins SEC Tournament opener over South Carolina, 11-6
The white hot offense continues.
Tennessee pitcher Cam Appenzeller (19) throws the ball during a NCAA baseball game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on April 18, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Tennessee Volunteers kicked off their week in Hoover with a win over the South Carolina Gamecocks tonight, winning 11-6. The Volunteers, still down starter Landon Mack, turned to Cam Appenzeller on the mound to get the week rolling.
The freshman lefty delivered, and got plenty run support. Tennessee strung together a few first-inning hits to take a 2-0 lead, but South Carolina got to Appenzeller quickly. It took three innings, but the Gamecocks put two on and Patrick Evans came through.
It was a two-run triple for Evans to tie the game, then a squeeze play added another to give South Carolina an early lead. South Carolina’s 3-2 lead was about as much fun as the Gamecocks would have in Hoover. Tennessee exploded in the bottom half of the inning for six runs, re-taking the lead and pushing it out to 8-3.
Trent Grindlinger pushed Blake Grimmer across to start, and the hit parade was on. Manny Marin was next, then Nate Eisfelder drove in two more, filling in for the injured Reese Chapman. Garrett Wright capped the inning with another two-run hit.