Knoxville, Tenn. - Tennessee pounded out 18 hits en route to a 13-0 blanking of the Dayton Flyers in the home opener for the Volunteers. Chris Burke led the way with four hits including a home run, while Jeff Christensen slapped three doubles while also driving in four.

Tennessee improved to 7-1 on the young season, while Dayton fell to 0-1.

Also having big a afternoon was third baseman Matt Sternberg who collect three hits with a triple, while Stevie Daniel, Dan Wilson and Hunter Rigsby each got two hits.

Brian Gates (2-0) no-hit the Flyers for four innings before Brent Berigan lined a single to center to lead off the fifth. Dayton would get two of its three hits in the frame. Gates struckout nine and walked one in seven innings of work, allowing three hits for his second win.

The Vols took a 2-0 lead in the third on the first of Christensen's three doubles. He became the first Vol to double three times in a game since Justin Ross did it against Mississippi State in 1998.

Tennessee broke the game open in the fourth as it tacked up five runs keyed by a two-run double by Burke and a two-run single by Wilson. They added four more in the fifth on two Flyer errors and a two-run double by Christensen. Burke's double tied him with Jeff Pickler for third all-time at Tennessee with 55.

Mike Kerins (0-1) suffered the loss for Dayton allowing seven runs on eight hits.

The Vols added a single run in the seventh on Burke's second home run of the season and one more in the eighth on a single by Sternberg.

Tennessee and Dayton will play game two of the three-game series, Saturday at 2 p.m.

Pitchers: Dayton - Kerins, Pahs (4), Shean (6), Hanson (8) and Wahl. Tennessee - Gates, Filsinger (8), Crowe (9) and Herrera, Bibee (8). W-Gates (2-0). L-Kerins (0-1). HR-UT-Burke (2). T-2:33. Att-1100.