COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — Alabama built an early lead and then held off a furious South Carolina comeback to win 7-6 on Sunday afternoon at Carolina Stadium.

The Crimson Tide improved to 35-17 overall and swept the weekend series after winning 9-6 on Saturday and 8-3 on Friday. The Gamecocks fell to 22-30.

Alabama starter Myles Upchurch delivered a dominant outing, allowing no hits and one earned run over six innings while striking out five. He left with a 7-1 lead after the top of the sixth.

The Crimson Tide struck quickly in the first inning. Leadoff batter Fowler singled, Hines doubled and Lemm doubled to left-center, driving in two runs. Holt followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Lemm for a 3-0 lead.

Alabama added two runs in the fifth. Torres delivered a sacrifice fly to center field, and an error by the South Carolina first baseman allowed another run to score, making it 5-0.

The Crimson Tide extended the lead to 7-0 in the sixth. A fielding error by the Gamecocks first baseman allowed two unearned runs to score, and Hines added a sacrifice fly.

South Carolina got on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Craddock doubled down the left-field line and Lizama singled up the middle to drive him in, cutting the deficit to 7-1.

The Gamecocks mounted a dramatic rally in the eighth. With one out, Bak singled and Craddock was hit by a pitch. Lizama reached on a fielder’s choice and a throwing error by Alabama’s second baseman allowed Bak to score. Yuhasz followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Craddock and making it 7-3. Shortstop KJ Scobey then crushed a two-run home run to left field, pulling South Carolina within 7-5.

Scobey finished 2-for-5 with the homer and two RBIs.

In the ninth, South Carolina kept the pressure on. Randolph reached on a fielding error by Alabama’s shortstop, advanced to second on a balk and scored on a single by Harman to make it 7-6. But Crimson Tide reliever Matthew Heiberger struck out Bak looking and got Craddock to ground out to third to end the game.

Alabama reliever Ashton Crowther pitched two scoreless innings with no hits, and Heiberger earned the save with two-thirds of an inning. South Carolina’s Alex Valentin took the loss, allowing four earned runs on six hits over four and two-thirds innings.

Catcher John Lemm drove in two runs for Alabama, going 1-for-2 with a double and a walk.

The Gamecocks outhit the Crimson Tide 9-7 but stranded seven runners and grounded into two double plays. Alabama made three sacrifice flies.

South Carolina returns home to face Winthrop on Tuesday before traveling to Vanderbilt for a three-game series starting Thursday. Alabama hosts Mississippi for a three-game set beginning Thursday.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Alabama 6, South Carolina 3. The ELO system gave Alabama a 61.60 percent probability to win. Alabama entered as a pregame favorite with a spread of plus 1.5.