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HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — TJ Hopkins' pinch-hit, three-run homer in the seventh inning helped South Carolina rally past Kentucky 3-1 on Friday to reach the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.
The 11th-seeded Gamecocks (35-24) face No. 2 seed LSU (41-17) on Saturday.
South Carolina won despite getting just two hits all day.
Kentucky's Justin Lewis carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and allowed just one hit in 5 1/3 innings, but South Carolina rallied against the Wildcats' bullpen. The Gamecocks trailed 1-0 until Hopkins hit his three-run shot off Logan Salow (2-6).
South Carolina's Josh Reagan (6-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief after starter Adam Hill allowed just one unearned run and three hits in six innings. Tyler Johnson got the final two outs for his 10th save.
Kentucky (39-20) stranded runners on second and third in the eighth and left a runner at second in the ninth.
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This story has been corrected to show that the runner left on second in the ninth inning wasn't the tying run.
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