Tennessee baseball powers through game one of Knoxville Super Regional

Tennessee baseball jumps out to a 1-0 series lead in the Knoxville Super Regional after its 11-6 win over Evansville on Friday. The Vols had to battle back from an early deficit but quickly overcame the Aces' early lead and didn't look back. 

The Vols jumped out to a quick one-run lead in the bottom of the first inning, but Evansville quickly responded with two runs of their own in the second inning. This put Tennessee in a position they only faced once throughout the regional round — an early deficit.

Christian Moore and Billy Amick's homers in the third inning and Dean Curley's sac fly in the fourth helped the Vols jump back into the lead, but some defensive miscues in the fifth opened the door for Evansville. 

The Aces took advantage of Tennessee's defensive errors and tied the game at five in the fifth, but the Vols battled back again, scoring three more in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a walk from Moore and hits from Blake Burke, Amick, and Hunter Ensley. 

A three-run home run by Ensley in the bottom of the seventh added some insurance for the Vols and put the game away from a possible Aces comeback. Vols pitching also picked up production after a rough start to the game. 

Chris Stamos started the game on the mound but only recorded four outs before being pulled. AJ Causey picked up four and two-thirds innings while giving up three unearned runs thanks to defensive errors. 

Veteran relievers Kirby Connell and Aaron Combs came in to close out the final three innings and did just that without too much drama. Combs continues to be dominant on the mound as the Vols closer, and an elite bullpen will be pivotal for Tennessee to continue its success deep into June. 

The Vols and Aces now prepare for an early first pitch for game two, which starts at 11:00 AM ET on Saturday. If Tennessee can seal the deal and get the win, they will advance to the men's College World Series in Omaha.