HOOVER, Ala. (AP) _ Pedro Alvarez and Andrew Giobbi each hit two-run homers to help Vanderbilt stay alive in the Southeastern Conference tournament with a 7-5 win over South Carolina on Friday.
The sixth-seeded Commodores (39-19), who ended the regular season on a five-game losing streak, must beat Mississippi twice on Saturday to make the championship game.
Nick Christiani (6-3) allowed five hits and one run in 6-1/3 innings for Vandy, leaving with a 7-1 lead.
"The key was Nick's pitching," Commodores coach Tim Corbin said. "His ability to control the middle part of their order for the most part, that was key. They've got a lot of hitters who can change the game."
Including Phil Disher, who helped South Carolina (38-21) wipe out most of that deficit. Disher hit a solo shot to left in the fourth and added a three-run homer to right in the eighth to key a four-run inning for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina couldn't complete the comeback in the ninth. Scott Wingo drew a one-out walk off Vandy reliever Russell Brewer. Then, Reese Havens hit the ball a few feet shy of the wall for a flyout and Whit Merrifield popped out to center.
The Commodores got a lift when Alvarez broke out of a slump after a 1-for-11 start in the tournament. He had earlier failed to drive in a run on chances with the bases loaded and runners on the corners.
Alvarez's homer to right came right after Alex Feinberg tripled home a run.
"He was a little frustrated at first," Corbin said. "After the chances he got early, he wanted to redeem himself. Sooner or later, he's going to break through."
Projected as one of the top picks in June's baseball draft, he had taken an extra hour or so of batting practice late Friday evening at a local high school.
"I was just trying to get my rhythm back," said Alvarez, who was 1-for-5. "I still had some poor at-bats in the beginning, but that's baseball. You never know when you're going to come through and be needed."
Giobbi had earlier hit just his third home run of the season.
The Commodores used power to build a cushion, but started the scoring with Ryan Flaherty's two-run, two-out infield single behind second base in the third that Havens dove for.
"It was a tough play," South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said. "Reese had to take a shot at first. By the time he recovered, it would have been tough to get the guy at the plate."
Vandy capitalized on two hit batters and a passed ball against starter Blake Cooper (5-6) in the inning.
The Gamecocks are now hoping to receive an NCAA regional berth on Monday.
"Hopefully we get a chance to play and we can be dangerous at the right time of the year," Tanner said.
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