COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tennessee baseball squandered Chase Dollander’s best start of the season as South Carolina tee’d off on Chase Burns to earn a 6-1 win in game one of Saturday’s seven-innings doubleheader.
The Gamecocks evened the weekend series ahead of the final game of the regular season.
Here’s everything to know.
Dollander and Mahoney Duel In Impressive Fashion
It was a seven-inning Saturday afternoon game at Founders Park. But with Chase Dollander and Jack Mahoney on the mound it felt like a Friday night SEC battle.
Both pitchers were dominant in game one of the doubleheader with each team looking to capitalize on any small mistake from the opponent’s pitcher.
South Carolina capitalized in the first inning when Braylen Wimmer turned on the first pitch he saw for a solo homer. But after hitting a batter two at-bats later, Dollander retired 10 straight Gamecocks as he got into a rhythm.
The highly touted MLB Draft prospect looked the best he has all season, striking out a season-high 13 Gamecocks while allowing just two hits and four baserunners in 5.1 innings pitched. Dollander has had an abundance of good starts this season but Saturday’s was his first elite one.
If the Vols get that Dollander in the postseason, watch out.
South Carolina’s Jack Mahoney was pretty darn good himself. After dominating Arkansas a week ago, the right-hander retired the first nine Vols he faced in order.
Mahoney tossed six innings of one run baseball, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out nine. The performance was good enough to earn the win as Tennessee’s pitching flinched in the bottom half of the sixth.
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After not getting a single baserunner its first time through the lineup, Tennessee threatened in the fourth inning. Maui Ahuna worked a leadoff walk and Blake Burke was hit-by a pitch to give the Vols a pair of baserunners.
Griffin Merritt popped out but it was a nine pitch at-bat where he fouled off four two strike pitches. Christian Moore’s at-bat started similarly with him falling behind 0-2. But much like Merritt, Moore battled and worked the count 2-2 before lining Tennessee’s first hit of the game into left field.
When it dropped it looked like Tennessee would surely tie the game but South Carolina left fielder Dylan Brewer had other ideas. He fired a rope that got there just before Ahuna and Cole Messina made the tag for the inning ending out.
The replay showed that Ahuna’s nice slide allowed his hand to get over the plate before he was tagged but the shortstop didn’t get the hand down and it didn’t hit the plate in time.
Brewer’s fantastic play was pivotal in a low scoring pitcher’s duel but the inning gave the Vols’ bats life against Mahoney.
Decision To Pull Dollander Immediately Backfires
Chase Dollander made an 0-2 mistake with one-out in the sixth inning and Tony Vitello gave him a quick hook with the game tied 1-1.
Tennessee pulled Dollander at just 83 pitches selecting to go with Chase Burns instead. The game was over before Burns recorded an out. Cole Messina singles on the first pitch Burns threw and Ethan Petry gave South Carolina the lead three pitches later with a hard hit chopper that Maui Ahuna couldn’t knock down.
From there an onslaught occurred. Gavin Casas drove home a run with a single, Talmadge LeCroy extended the lead to 5-1 with a hit-and-run double down the left field line and Michael Braswell singled to right center to give South Carolina a 6-1 lead before Burns struck out Will Tippet for the innings second out.
When Tennessee made the move to Burns, both Dollander and Mahoney had been fantastic but it felt like the Vols’ starter was in more of a groove. South Carolina quickly flipped the vibe and all but clinched the series tying victory.
Final Stats
Up Next
Tennessee baseball and South Carolina conclude the regular season in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader. The series finale is at 5 p.m. ET.
