Tennessee baseball is looking to win a regional for the fourth straight season.

The No. 1 Vols (50-11) open against No. 4 Northern Kentucky (35-22) in the Knoxville Regional on Friday (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network). No. 2 Southern Miss (41-18) and No. 3 Indiana (34-24-1) are on the opposite side of the bracket.

Tennessee has been to an NCAA regional five times under coach Tony Vitello. It lost in the final of the Chapel Hill Regional in 2019 before winning in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Vols went to the College World Series in 2021 and 2023, including getting the program's first win in Omaha since 2001 during its 2023 trip.UT has won at least 50 games for the third time in the past four seasons. Northern Kentucky is making its first NCAA Tournametn appearance.

Tennessee baseball live score updates vs Northern Kentucky in Knoxville Regional

FINAL: Tennessee 9, NKU 3

The Vols open the NCAA Tournament with a 9-3 win and will play Indiana in the winners bracket game at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Dylan Dreiling hits 2-run home run in the 8th

Dylan Dreiling drills his 18th home run of the season, a 2-run shot to right field. Tennessee leads 9-3.

Tennessee's Kirby Connell worked a scoreless 8th with a successful pickoff.

Hunter Ensley hits a solo home run to add to the Vols lead

Hunter Ensley gets the run back in the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo home run.

Tennessee leads 7-3 into the eighth inning.

Tennessee 6, NKU 3, middle seventh inning: Norse continue to chip away

NKU's Brennan Rowe smokes a triple past Tennessee centerfielder Hunter Ensley with one out in the seventh inning, then scores on a RBI groundout. AJ Causey is up to 111 pitches.

Tennessee 6, NKU 2, middle sixth inning: Norse add a second

Liam McFadden-Ackman hits an opposite-field solo home run to right field to cut UT's lead to 6-2.

AJ Causey continues to handle NKU lineup

AJ Causey strands a NKU runner at third base and ends the fifth inning with another zero. He is at 80 pitches, allowing no runs on one hit, one walk and eight strikeouts through 4.2 innings.

Tennessee 6, NKU 1 in the bottom of the fourth inning: Billy Amick hits 3-run home run

The Vols get the big hit off of Tanner Gillis. Billy Amick hits a towering 3-run home run to dead center in the fourth inning. The Vols lead 6-1. Amick now has 20 home runs this season.

Tennessee 3, NKU 1 after three innings: Vols score two runs without producing a hit

NKU pitcher Tanner Gillis walks three, has a wild pitch and hits a batter in the third inning, allowing the Vols to score two runs. Credit Kavares Tears with a RBI walk and Dean Curley with a RBI sacrifice fly.

Gillis managed that inning OK given all the free bases allowed to the Tennessee lineup. The Vols will take those two runs regardless.

NKU 1, Tennessee 1 after two innings: Vols on the board after misplay in left field

Kavares Tears leads off the UT second with a single, moves to second base on a groundout and scores after a Reese Chapman single and error by NKU left fielder Logen Devenport.

NKU 1, Tennessee 0 after one inning

Tennessee has a handful of hard-hit contact, but strands two in a scoreless bottom of the first inning. Christian Moore and Dylan Dreiling each singled, while Billy Amick had a very loud lineout to centerfield and Hunter Ensley hit a ball off the glove of NKU pitcher Tanner Gillis, which trickled right to the NKU second baseman to end the inning.

NKU 1, Tennessee 0, mid 1st inning: Already a pitching change for the Vols

After Chris Stamos allows hits to the first two batters and getting a groundout, Tony Vitello makes a mid-AB pitching change. AJ Causey is now throwing, and he gets the final two outs of the top of the first inning. Vols have work to do.

NKU's Cleary Simpson launches a leadoff home run

Northern Kentucky's Cleary Simpson gets under a pitch and drives it at or above the scoreboard in right field. 1-0 NKU.

The winner of Friday's game will face Indiana, who won 10-4 over Southern Miss, in the later game on Saturday. The loser will face Southern Miss in an elimination game in the first game Saturday.

Tennessee baseball lineup

High Point baseball lineup

What channel is Tennessee baseball vs. Northern Kentucky on today?

TV: SEC Network (Watch on Fubo)

MORE: Watch Tennessee baseball live vs Northern Kentucky with Fubo (free trial)

Tennessee baseball vs. Northern Kentucky start time

• 7 p.m. ET

Tennessee baseball vs. Northern Kentucky prediction

Tennessee 14, Northern Kentucky 4: Northern Kentucky has shown it can hit the ball but its pitching doesn't fare well. The Vols' top-ranked offense will prevail in the first matchup of the regional to stay in the winner's bracket.

Tennessee baseball vs. Northern Kentucky location

• Knoxville, Tennessee

• Lindsey Nelson Stadium

LIGHT: Meet Carlee Beam, the brightest light at Tennessee baseball's Lindsey Nelson Stadium

Tennessee baseball vs. Northern Kentucky tickets

How to buy tickets to Tennessee baseball in Knoxville Regional

Tennessee baseball schedule

See the Tennessee baseball schedule here

Northern Kentucky baseball schedule

See the Northern Kentucky baseball schedule here

Tennessee baseball roster

See the Tennessee baseball roster here

Northern Kentucky baseball roster

See the Northern Kentucky baseball roster here

Knoxville Regional schedule

Friday's games

Game 1: Indiana (32-24-1) vs. Southern Miss (41-18), 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Game 2: Tennessee (50-11) vs. Northern Kentucky (35-22), 7 p.m. on SEC Network

Knoxville Regional bracket

Friday's games

Game 1: Indiana (32-24-1) vs. Southern Miss (41-18), 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Game 2: Tennessee (50-11) vs. Northern Kentucky (35-22), 7 p.m. on SEC Network

Saturday's games

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon; TV TBD

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m.; TV TBD

Sunday's games

Game 5: Game 4 loser vs. Game 3 winner, noon; TV TBD

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.; TV TBD

Monday's game (if necessary)

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBD

Knoxville regional odds

According to BetMGM

• Tennessee -400

• Southern Miss +500

• Indiana +800

• Northern Kentucky +5000

2024 College World Series bracket

See the bracket here.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee vs Northern Kentucky score updates in NCAA baseball regional