Tennessee baseball had no issue on Friday in the series opener against Bowling Green as it squeezed in the match between rain showers.

The Vols took down the Falcons 11-1 in eight innings to get the weekend started.

This featured four home runs from Tennessee (9-1) as the offense heated up to compliment the strong pitching. Two pitchers got the ball combining for 10 strikeouts and one allowed hit.

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AJ Causey got the start for the injured AJ Russell and dominated. In his first start with the Vols, he went seven innings while giving up just a single run and hit on a solo shot in the second inning. He would strike out a season-high nine batters in the outing, as well.

Helping the offensive push were Billy Amick, Dean Curley and Blake Burke who left the yard on home runs.

Amick did the most damage to Bowling Green's (2-5) pitching staff while hitting two home runs for three RBI, two runs and producing a walk.

Tennessee

1. Christian Moore (R) - 2B

2. Blake Burke (L) - 1B

3. Billy Amick (R) - 3B

4. Kavares Tears (L) - RF

5. Robin Villeneuve (R) - DH

6. Dylan Dreiling (L) - LF

7. Dean Curley (R) - SS

8. Cal Stark (R) - C

9. Hunter Ensley (R) - CF

RHP - AJ Causey

Bowling Green

1. DJ Newman (R) - RHP

2. Sam Seidel (L) - SS

3. Nathan Archer (L) - CF

4. Tyler Ross (R) - 2B

5. Brady Birchmeier (R) - 1B

6. Jack Krause (L) - RF

7. Leighton Banjoff (R) - 3B

8. Garrett Wright (R) - C

9. TJ Takats (L) - LF

RHP - DJ Newman

Causey couldn't have gotten out to a better start on the mound. In his first career start, he tossed just 12 pitches which was good enough to strike out the side.

Amick was quick to put up runs in the bottom half of the frame. He mashed a two-out, 419-foot home run for his team-high fifth of the season. The shot gave the Vols an early 1-0 lead.

Bowling Green instantly got the run back, though. Falcons second baseman Tyler Ross sent the first pitch of the second inning opposite field that just scraped over the wall in right to tie the game.

Another two-out solo shot gave Tennessee the lead back in the second, though. Freshman Curley ripped a shot 419 feet to left to reclaim the lead 2-1.

The Vols continued to tack on runs in the third. After Hunter Ensley drew a walk and Christian Moore singled, a Burke single to right scored Ensley. An ensuing throwing error moved runners to second and third which led to a sac fly by Amick pushing a second run across. The final score came by a Kavares Tears sac fly to make it a 5-1 game.

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In the fifth inning, starting pitcher DJ Newman was pulled for Isaiah Seidel. This wasn't enough of a change to make a difference, though. After Moore walked, Burke ripped an off-speed pitch to left field to build on the lead.

Amick wouldn't be out-done, though. He hit his second home run of the game in the following at-bat to knock Seidel out of the game and give Tennessee an 8-1 lead. This was Amick's sixth of the season creating more separation atop the team.

This yanked Seidel out of the game as he was replaced with Luke Krouse. Krouse would allow a single from Tears before hitting Robin Villeneuve. Fly balls from Dylan Dreiling and Curley were enough to move Tears across the plate for a fourth run in the fifth.

While the offense exploded, Causey continued to dominate. The only blip was the solo shot in the second and a walk that was dealt with by a back pick on the next pitch. He tossed seven full innings while allowing one run, one hit, one walk and striking out a season-high nine batters.

Dylan Loy came in to relieve him and sat down the lineup in order in his one frame of work. In the bottom of the eighth, Tennessee finished things off. Hits from Ethan Payne and Colby Backus pushed across a pair of runs for the run-rule to take effect.

1) Causey swords a batter

2) Amick hits his second of the night

3) Tears lays out for catch in right

Tennessee will return to the diamond to face Bowling Green on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. The series finale will be played at 1 p.m. on Sunday. All games air on SECN+.

Then, the Vols will be tested when hosting Kansas State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET on SECN+.

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