LSU baseball rallies in 9th to edge South Carolina in SEC Baseball Tournament

A matchup of arguably the two hottest offenses at the SEC Baseball Tournament was bound for dramatics, teeth-gnashing and a barrage of home run celebrations.

Through four innings, LSU baseball and South Carolina had collected a home run each with Cole Messina cranking a grand slam in the bottom of the third that put the Gamecocks up, 5-1. LSU freshman Jake Brown responded for his team in next half inning, belting a two-run shot to right field that knotted the game, 5-5.

Next inning, the Tigers reclaimed the lead off a solo home run from Jared Jones, 6-5. For the game, the Gamecocks and LSU combined for 25 hits, including eight total extra-base hits. But it was the Tigers that got the best of South Carolina, 11-10, at the Hoover Metropolitan on Thursday night.

Michael Braswell, who transferred to LSU from South Carolina before the season, ripped to go ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth.

No. 11 LSU (39-20) advances in the winner bracket where it'll face the winner of No. 2 Kentucky (40-13) and No. 10 South Carolina (35-22) Saturday at noon in the SEC Tournament semifinals.

REQUIRED READING LSU baseball sets SEC Tournament history with two grand slams in single game, including one from Tommy White

LSU scores its first run in the second off back-to-back errors committed by South Carolina. Two runs in eight off error from Gavin Casas at first.

LSU baseball bullpen roughed up by South Carolina's Cole Messina

He's now the SEC Tournament RBI leader. And it's not by accident. Messina has been wreaking havoc to everyone's pitching staff so far this week and he didn't make any exception for LSU Thursday.

The Gamecocks' senior catcher hit the grand slam off the first pitch he saw from reliever Nate Ackenhausen and drove in two more runs in the sixth off senior reliever Christian Little, who had been pitching well coming into the tournament, that retook the lead for South Carolina, 8-7.

He finished the game 2-for-4 with a game-high six RBIs and two runs scored.

LSU's offense still displays plenty of firepower, cashes in on Gamecocks mistakes

As they have been doing for a couple of weeks now, the Tigers weren't slowed down much.

LSU pounded out 10 hits, scored nine runs and led against South Carolina on three separate occasions. Jay Johnson's club, like it has to play its way to this point in the SEC Tournament, remained ready to pounce when its opponent made mistakes.

South Carolina committed four errors and they all cost it runs as LSU cashed in. The Tigers scored first after an errant pick attempt allowed Josh Pearson to advanced to third before freshman Steven Milam drove him home on a single.

In the eighth, LSU cut a three-run deficit to 10-9 when USC first baseman Gavin Casas mishandled Pearson's grounder to first and Alex Milazzo and Michael Braswell came home.

South Carolina takes early advantage of LSU baseball pitcher Thatcher Hurd's struggles

As quickly as Thatcher Hurd started the game on the mound, things unraveled.

In his first start in a conference game in two months, Thatcher Hurd was performing like the pitcher most thought he'd entering the season. He mowed down five South Carolina batters through two innings.

Then came the third inning, where Hurd walked two, hit another, a wild pitcher allowing to get to third before a blooper over Jared Jones' head at first dropped in to tie things up, 1-1. Next batter, the Gamecocks' power hitter Cole Messina drove the first offering from Nate Ackenhausen way out to left to put his team up 5-1 in the third frame.

LSU HANDLES GEORGIA LSU baseball quiets Charlie Condon, Georgia to win SEC Baseball Tournament 1st round game

LSU BASEBALL NCAA TOURNAMENT CHANCES What's left for LSU baseball to do to lock up NCAA Tournament bid at SEC Tournament?

Hurd was responsible for four runs off three hits and three free bases in two innings, resembling a familiar stat line that's haunted him for the better of this season.

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU baseball rallies past South Carolina in SEC Tournament