KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The No. 1-ranked Tennessee Volunteers continued their dominant start to the season, overpowering the UNC Asheville Bulldogs 10-3 in a nonconference baseball game Tuesday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Volunteers, improving to 4-0, used a 14-hit attack and a pivotal third-inning home run to pull away from the Bulldogs, who fell to 2-3.

UNC Asheville struck first, manufacturing two runs in the second inning without the benefit of a powerful swing. Ben Green doubled to right field, Owen Michelson walked and Chase Klingemann followed with an RBI single to right to plate Green. Michelson later scored on a well-executed sacrifice bunt by Coleman McGinnis, giving the Bulldogs an early 2-0 lead.

Tennessee answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame. After a hit-by-pitch and a double, Caden Newstrom drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. An RBI triple from Abernathy cut the deficit to 2-1, and a subsequent single brought him home to tie the game, though he was thrown out at the plate on the play to end the inning.

The most important part of the game came in the bottom of the third inning, when Tennessee seized control for good. After two quick outs, the Volunteers loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch and a walk. Cleanup hitter Sam Lawless then delivered the decisive blow, launching a three-run homer over the left field wall to give Tennessee a 5-2 lead it would not relinquish.

The Volunteers extended their lead in the fourth when star third baseman Henry Ford led off with a solo home run to left, making it 6-2. Tennessee broke the game open with a four-run seventh inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Abernathy, a sacrifice fly from Antigua and a run-scoring double from Ford, his second RBI hit of the night.

UNC Asheville managed a final run in the ninth inning when Michelson drove in Blaize Johnson with a single up the middle, but the Bulldogs could not mount a larger threat.

Tennessee starter Appenzeller earned the win, while UNC Asheville’s C. Woolard took the loss. The Volunteers’ offense was paced by Ford, who finished a triple shy of the cycle with a home run, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Lawless drove in three runs with his third-inning blast. Abernathy added three hits, including a triple and a double, with two RBIs.

For the Bulldogs, Michelson had two hits, an RBI and a run scored. The Bulldogs managed just five hits total and struck out 12 times against a parade of Tennessee pitchers.

The game unfolded as expected by predictive metrics, as Interstat’s ELO system had projected Tennessee with a 94.90 percent probability to win.

Tennessee, which has outscored opponents 37-6 through four games, will continue its homestand with a three-game series against Kent State beginning Friday. UNC Asheville returns home to face Rider in a three-game set starting Friday.