HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Drew Gilbert went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and scored twice, five Tennessee pitchers combined to give up just five hits and the top-seeded Volunteers beat No. 8 seed Vanderbilt 10-1 on Thursday night in the SEC Tournament.
Tennessee (50-7) plays the winner between No. 12 seed Kentucky or fourth-seeded LSU on Friday. The Commodores play the loser in an elimination game.
Seth Stephenson was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the first and scored when Gilbert hit a two-out double to left center to make it 1-0 and the Volunteers never trailed.
Stephenson led off the bottom of the third with a single and Jorel Ortega followed with a RBI double to spark a five-run inning and, after reaching base on a fielding error to begin the bottom of the fourth, Stephenson scored for the third time when Trey Lipscomb singled to make it 7-0.
Carter Young hit a solo shot in the top of the fifth for Vanderbilt (36-20).
Blade Tidwell started for Tennessee and allowed a run on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Kirby Connell gave up two hits in 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief before Camden Sewell, Will Mabrey and Ben Joyce combined for three no-hit innings.
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