Liam Doyle worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning and Cannon Peebles homered twice from both sides of the plate in the sixth and eighth as Tennessee took the first of three games against Kentucky, 8-2 on Friday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The No. 4 Vols (33-4, 12-4 SEC) overcame an early two run deficit after an uncharacteristic start from Doyle in the first. The left hander recovered, allowing just four hits while tossing nine trikeouts to give Tennessee a 1-0 lead in the series.

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Peebles was equally impressive. His three-run home run the sixth proved to be the dagger in the sixth, but he added another for good measure in the eighth as part of a 3-of-4 night at the plate.

Dean Curley, who was 2-of-3, homered in the fifth as part of a nine-hit performance from the Vols' lineup.

Devin Burkes scored both of the Wildcats' (20-15, 6-10) with a two-run homer in the first.

Liam Doyle ran into some rare trouble early.

Patrick Herrera led off with a single that fell into shallow left field. Two outs followed, but Devin Burkes homered to right to give Kentucky a 2-0 lead.

Doyle gave up another hit, but got out of the inning with the damage limited there after striking out Cole Hage.

Tennessee started to put together an answer in the bottom half.

After Dean Curley singled through the left side to lead off the frame, Gavin Kilen, facing the shift, bunted instead towards third and the Wildcats' infield was unable to make a play on the ball, putting two on with no outs for the Vols.

A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. After a lengthy delay for a new umpire after the first took a pitch from Kentucky starter Nate Harris off the hand, Andrew Fischer finished his at-bat with a walk to load the bases.

Hunter Ensley struck out for the first out, then Dalton Bargo grounded out at second, allowing Curley to score and put Tennessee on the board. Reese Chapman continued his hot-streak with a single to center to score Kilen and Fischer and put the Vols ahead, 3-2.

Doyle recovered in the second, giving up a one-out double but ending the inning with a couple of ground outs to keep Kentucky scoreless.

Cannon Peebles led off the bottom second with a single and Curley worked a one-out walk, but both runners were left stranded. Dalton Bargo was stranded at first in the third as the Wildcats held its deficit to one through three.

Doyle continued to hold Kentucky in check, though with 1-2-3 frames in the second and third, but found himself in a jam in the fourth after back-to-back hit-by-pitches and a walk loaded the bases for the Wildcats with one out.

A pop up to Manny Marin at short held all of the runners up, but Burkes, who hit the two-run shot in the first, stepped up to the plate next. He swung at one pitch for a strike and made contact on another that went foul. His third swing missed again and Doyle pulled off the escape act.

Curley added to the momentum in the bottom fifth, mashing a solo shot off the batter's eye in center to stretch the Tennessee lead to 4-2.

Harris walked Bargo to lead off the bottom sixth and was pulled for Evan Byers. Three at-bats later, Peebles homered to the porches in left to open up a 7-2 advantage and lead to another pitching change for Kentucky.

The Wildcats, looking to scrap together any kind of momentum in the eighth, were burned by a masterful play from Ariel Antigua at short after he made a diving stop of a ball hit by Kyuss Gargett and gunned a throw to Fischer at first for an out.

The sequence was part of a 1-2-3 frame for Tanner Franklin, who took over the inning for Doyle.

Peebles provided further cushion in the bottom half with his second home run of the evening, this one a solo shot off the scoreboard in right to swell the Vols' lead to 8-2.

Antigua came up with two more defensive gem in the ninth, fielding a grounder and throwing out the lead-off man at first in stride and then fielding another in the infield grass for the second out.

Tennessee and Kentucky will play Game 2 of the three-game series on Saturday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Vols are slated to start right-handed pitcher Marcus Phillips (2-2, 3.30 ERA), while the Wildcats will start right-hander Nic McCay (3-0, 3.64 ERA).

First pitch is set for 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.

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