Seldom-used Jackson Slaid had an opportunity to deliver a big pinch-hit Friday night against South Carolina.

With runners at first and second and LSU trailing by a run in the seventh inning, Slaid struck out. The Gamecocks held on to their lead and forced a winner-take-all game for the Southeastern Conference title Saturday.

Slaid was called upon again as a pinch-hitter Saturday with runners on first and second and two out in a tied game in the tenth inning. This time, Slaid came through with a clutch single to drive in the go-ahead run.

Mason Katz followed with a RBI single which would turn out to be essential in the Tigers' 3-2 victory against South Carolina in Columbia.

With the victory and losses by Florida and Kentucky, LSU won the SEC title outright. The Gamecocks, who had a game rained out at Georgia last Sunday, finished second in the overall standings - one-half game behind the Tigers. Florida lost at Auburn 5-4, while Kentucky lost at Mississippi State 11-3.

So, the Tigers (42-14, 19-11) went on the road and won two games from two-time defending national champion South Carolina. The conference title was LSU's first since 2009 when it shared the crown with Ole Miss. The only other SEC championship for the Tigers since Skip Bertman retired came in 2003.

"What a resilient effort by our players this was," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. "They've certainly earned the right to call themselves SEC champions.

"This team has overcome adversity all season and overachieved in a lot of ways. To win the SEC title in this environment against the two-time defending national champions is a tremendous achievement."

Slaid had just eight at-bats in SEC games before Saturday. He had one hit - a single against Alabama. Slaid had not started a game since April 3 against Louisiana College.

Jordy Snikeris, who was unable to catch due to a finger injury, opened the tenth by drawing a walk from Evan Beal, the third of six Gamecocks pitchers. Snikeris had entered the game as the designated hitter in the seventh and hit into a force play with runners on first and second with two out.

Tyler Hanover bunted Snikeris to second. After JaCoby Jones lined out to second baseman Chase Vergason, South Carolina coach Ray Tanner elected to intentionally walk Austin Nola. Mainieri replaced Arby Fields with Slaid to face new pitcher Tyler Webb.

On a full-count pitch, Slaid singled to right field to bring in Snikeris. Katz followed with a single up the middle to drive home what turned out to be the winning run. The next Gamecocks pitcher Hunter Privette hit Raph Rhymes, but Tyler Moore struck out against Logan Munson to end the inning.

The bottom of the tenth wasn't easy for LSU closer Nick Goody, who blew a save last Sunday against Vanderbilt. Goody yielded a double by Evan Marzilli and a single by Adam Matthews to put runners on first and third. Christian Walker's fly out to Jared Foster in center field cut the Tigers' lead to one run.

But, Goody shut the door on South Carolina (39-15, 18-11) at that point. LB Dantzler flied out to Alex Edward in right field and Grayson Greiner popped out to Katz at first baseman and LSU celebrated a conference title.

The Tigers would not have been in position to win the game in extra innings were it not for an outstanding performance from starting pitcher Ryan Eades. For the first time in five weeks, Eades gave LSU a strong outing. He allowed one run before being relieved with one out in the sixth.

Eades pitched very well in the clutch as the Gamecocks put a runner in scoring position in each of the first five innings. South Carolina scored only in the third on a triple by Marzilli and a sacrifice fly by Matthews.

The Gamecocks left a runner at third base in the first and third innings, runners at first and second in the second and fourth innings and a runner at second in the fifth inning. Eades, who gave up seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts, was lifted after allowing a one-out single by Connor Bright in the sixth.

Brent Bonvillian quickly ended the sixth by getting Vergason to hit into a double play. Chris Cotton, who had given up one run in his last six SEC relief appearances, kept the Tigers tied with three nearly perfect innings. Cotton permitted one runner on a walk and struck out four.

For the third consecutive game in the series, LSU scored a run in the first inning. Fields doubled with one out, advanced to third on a passed ball by Greiner and scored on Katz' grounder to shortstop Joey Pankake.

The Tigers didn't get another base runner against South Carolina starter Colby Holmes until Moore opened the fifth with a single. Moore got into scoring position on Edward's ground out. But, he was stranded as Grant Dozar grounded out and Hanover struck out.

LSU threatened in the seventh on a leadoff single by Katz, who advanced to second on an infield out by Moore. After hitting Edward with a pitch, Holmes was replaced by Nolan Belcher. That's when Snikeris batted for Dozar and hit into a force play.

The Tigers had a great chance to snap the 1-1 tie in the eighth when Hanover doubled and Jones walked. Beal came on and retired the next three batters - Nola on a fly ball to right field, Fields on a strikeout and Katz on a ground ball to third base.

LSU will be the No. 1 seed in the SEC tournament which starts Tuesday in Hoover, Ala. The Tigers will have a first-day bye and will play an undetermined opponent at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.