Tennessee is one win away from its third College World Series berth in four years.

The No. 1 Vols overcame an early deficit and a Evansville comeback midway through to headlined a 11-6 victory in Game 1 of the Knoxville Super Regional at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Friday.

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Tennessee (54-11) leaned on its hitting as the Vols' lineup combined for four home runs, including one from Hunter Ensley that went for three runs in the seventh as part of a 3-for-4, four RBI outing.

Blake Burke, Christian Moore and Billy Amick each hit home runs.

A.J. Causey allowed four hits and three earned runs with eight strikeouts in 4.2 innings of relief before Kirby Connell and Aaron Combs closed out the game.

The Purple Aces (36-25), who won the Greenville Regional last weekend in an upset of regional host East Carolina, gave Tennessee fits in the second, taking the lead on a two-run home run in the second and rallying to tie the game in the fifth before the Vols pulled away.

Tennessee

1. Christian Moore (R) - 2B

2. Blake Burke (L) - 1B

3. Billy Amick (R) - 3B

4. Dylan Dreiling (L) - LF

5. Hunter Ensley (R) - CF

6. Kavares Tears (L) - RF

7. Dean Curley (R) - SS

8. Reese Chapman (L) DH

9. Cal Stark (R) - C

LHP Chris Stamos

Evansville

1. Simon Scherry (R) - SS

2. Mark Shallenberger (L) - LF

3. Kip Fougeroussee (R) - DH

4. Chase Hug (L) - 1B

5. Brent Wider (R) - 3B

6. Cal McGinnis (L) - 2B

7. Brendan Hord (R) - C

8. Harrison Taubert (R) - RF

9. Ty Rumsey (L) - CF

LHP Kenton Deverman

After Chris Stamos sent Evansville down in order with three-straight strikeouts in the top of the first inning, Blake Burke homered off of the scoreboard in right field to put Tennessee ahead 1-0.

The Purple Aces responded in the top second, first on a Chase Hug leadoff double to right-center and then a Cal McGinnis two-run homer to put Evansville up 2-1. A.J. Causey entered for Stamos and was able to get the Vols out of the inning without further damage.

Causey ran into trouble in the third after giving up a pair of walks with one out, but against escape after Cal Stark threw out the runner at first on a back-pick.

Tennessee entered the bottom half with momentum and Christian Moore only added to it with a two-run shot to right-center to put the Vols back in front, 3-2. Two at-bats later, Billy Amick hit a no-doubter 428-feet off of the light pole in left to stretch the lead to 4-2.

Dean Curley added to the lead in the fourth, paying off a Kavares Tears walk with a sac-fly to put Tennessee up 5-2.

Casuey looked like he was going to pull off another escape act with runners on the corners and two outs in the fifth, but Kip Fougeroussee doubled off the wall in left-center and Hug followed it up with a single up the middle to even the score at 5-5.

Burke came through with another big hit in the fifth, sending one to the wall in center where Ty Rumsey was unable to hold on after hitting the wall. It allowed Moore, who drew a walk in the previous at-bat, to score and put the Vols ahead again at 6-5.

A throwing error at third scored Burke and a Hunter Ensley RBI swelled Tennessee's lead to 8-5 later in the frame.

Ensley provided some insurance again in the seventh, this time on a three-run homer to left, opening up an 11-5 advantage for the Vols.

Evansville tried to string together another rally down to its last three outs in the ninth, trimming its deficit to 11-6 on a Mark Shallenberger single through the right side, leading to Aaron Combs taking over on the mound with no outs and runners on first and second.

Combs gave up a walk to load the bases, but came back with three strikeouts to preserve the win.

1. Blake Burke's home run in the first gives Tennessee an early lead.

2. Christian Moore puts Tennessee back in front with a two-run homer in the third.

3. Cal Stark back-pick gets Tennessee out of trouble in the third.

Tennessee will look to punch its ticket to Omaha in Game 2 of the Knoxville Super Regional on Saturday.

Right-handed pitcher Drew Beam (8-2, 4.16 ERA) will start for the Vols.

First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2.

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