Special to the American Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Designated hitter Cade Beloso singled in the winning run in the top of the ninth inning Friday, lifting top-ranked LSU to an 8-7 comeback win over No. 6 South Carolina.

The Tigers (25-5, 7-4 Southeastern Conference) trailed 7-3 entering the eighth inning but a grand slam by Gavin Dugas tied the score, setting the table for Beloso’s winning hit, sending the Gamecocks (28-4, 9-2) to their first home loss in 20 games.

Reliever Gavin Guidry (2-0) earned the win as he worked the final 12/3 innings, allowing no runs on one hit with one walk and three strikeouts.

The rubber game will be played at 11 a.m. today.

“What our guys do best is stick together,” said LSU head coach Jay Johnson, “so I’m really not surprised this happened. It’s a testament to them, both in their ability and their heart. That’s why we’re ranked No. 1. What you just saw in that game, along with talent, is why we’re the No. 1 team in the nation.”

The No. 1 team was pounded 13-5 Thursday in the series opener in a game the Tigers were never in. The Gamecocks, who scored five runs in the fifth inning and three in the seventh, led 9-1 after six innings.

On Friday, the Tigers, who struck out 14 times, trailed 7-3 in the eighth inning when they struck for four runs against South Carolina reliever Cade Austin. Beloso

drew a walk to start the inning, and after Austin struck out Jared Jones, he walked Jordan Thompson.

Austin struck out Brady Neal, but pinch hitter Brayden Jobert followed with a single to right field to load the bases. Dugas followed with the grand slam on the first pitch he saw from Austin, marking his 10th home run of the season.

In the ninth, with reliever Eli Jones (4-1), LSU’s Dylan Crews drew a lead-off walk. He moved to second on Tommy White’s groundout. Beloso followed with the winning hit.

The Gamecocks threatened in the bottom of the ninth, getting runners on first and second with two outs, but Guidry fanned pinch hitter Caleb Denny to end the game.

South Carolina built a 4-0 lead in the second inning against LSU starter Ty Floyd, but LSU narrowed the gap to 4-3 in the fourth on White’s solo home run and Thompson’s two-run homer. Floyd struggled with control issues and lasted three innings, giving up four runs on one hit because he issued four walks and hit three batters.

The Gamecocks, however, struck for three runs in the bottom of the fifth, with Talmadge LeCroy’s RBI single, one of his game-high three hits, highlighting the surge.