COLUMBIA (Interstat) — John Lemm delivered a three-run homer and finished with four RBIs as Alabama defeated South Carolina 9-6 on Saturday afternoon at Carolina Stadium.

Lemm, the Crimson Tide designated hitter, went 1 for 5 with a home run and four runs batted in. His fifth-inning blast to right field gave Alabama a commanding 8-4 lead after the Gamecocks had pulled within one earlier.

Alabama improved to 34-17 overall and 18-10 in Southeastern Conference play. South Carolina fell to 22-29 and 9-19. The victory gave Alabama a 2-0 lead in the three-game series after an 8-3 win Friday night.

The Crimson Tide struck first in the top of the first inning. Bryce Fowler singled, moved to third on a single, and scored on a fielder’s choice by Lemm. Alabama added no further runs in the inning but took a 1-0 lead.

South Carolina answered emphatically in the bottom of the second. With two outs and a runner on second, Jake Randolph hit a three-run homer to left center, scoring Lizama and Harman to put the Gamecocks ahead 3-1. KJ Scobey followed with an RBI triple that scored Yuhasz, extending the lead to 4-1.

Alabama regained control in the fourth inning. After a walk and a single, Will Plattner, who later moved from catcher to designated hitter, launched a three-run homer to right field, scoring Steele and Torres to tie the game at 4-4. Plattner finished 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs.

The decisive blow came in the fifth. With two outs and runners on first and second, Lemm drove a pitch over the right-field fence for a three-run homer, scoring Plattner and Hines to make it 8-4.

Alabama added another run in the sixth on Plattner’s two-run homer to left field after Fowler had doubled. That gave the Crimson Tide a 9-4 lead.

South Carolina fought back. In the bottom of the sixth, Patrick Evans hit a solo home run to left field to cut the deficit to 9-5. The Gamecocks threatened in the ninth when Yuhasz doubled with one out, advanced to third on a fly out, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Scobey, making it 9-6. But Bak struck out and LeCroy flied out to end the game.

Zane Adams started on the mound for Alabama, allowing five earned runs over six innings while striking out nine. Matthew Heiberger tossed two scoreless innings, and Banks closed the ninth for the save.

For South Carolina, Randolph went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs. Evans had a solo homer. Cooper Parks pitched two innings, allowing one hit and no runs. Riley Goodman threw a scoreless ninth.

Alabama had 14 hits to South Carolina’s nine.

The victory was particularly meaningful for Lemm, who had gone hitless in his previous three games, including an 0-for-4 performance Friday afternoon against the same South Carolina squad.

Alabama will go for the series sweep Sunday afternoon at Carolina Stadium. The Crimson Tide then return home to host Mississippi in a three-game series starting Thursday.

South Carolina will look to avoid the sweep Sunday before a Tuesday home game against Winthrop. The Gamecocks then travel to Vanderbilt for a three-game series.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Alabama 5, South Carolina 3. Interstatl’s ELO system had projected Alabama with a 61.00 percent probability to win. Alabama had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +1.5.