Canadian Diodati homers to help Alabama to win

Great Lake Canadians and Junior National Team alum Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) had two hits - including a home run - to help Alabama to a 10-5 win over UT-Martin on Tuesday. Photo: University of Alabama Athletics

February 25, 2020

By Alex Thompson

University of Alabama Athletics Communications

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball picked up a 10-5 win over UT-Martin on Tuesday, using a pair of two-run innings in the fourth and sixth innings to pull away. With the victory, the Crimson Tide is now 8-0 to start the season.

Alabama got up 5-1 after two innings but a three-run third by UT-Martin made things close. The Tide countered with one in the home half of the third and used two in the fourth and a pair in the sixth to secure the midweek win. The Crimson Tide was able to hang on thanks to 6.2 solid innings from its bullpen. Leading the way was redshirt junior Garret Rukes (1-0), who contributed 3.2 innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out a career-high six batters for the win.

The Tide’s bats continued to stay hot, producing 10 runs on 11 hits. Pacing the offense was Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.). The freshman finished 2-for-5 with his team-leading fourth home run of the season. He also added two RBI and a run scored. Matching him in hits was senior Brett Auerbach, who finished 2-for-3 with a team-high tying two runs and a stolen base. Rounding out the multi-hit efforts was catcher Sam Praytor. The redshirt sophomore went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

Postgame Notes

-Alabama is 8-0 to start the year. That is the Crimson Tide’s second-best start to a season under Brad Bohannon. The 2018 squad began the year 9-0 in Bohannon’s first season at the helm.

-Garret Rukes worked 3.2 innings, his longest outing since March 19, 2017, when he tossed 3.2 against Missouri.

-Rukes also struck out a career-high six batters on the night. His previous high for punchouts was five, which he had on two occasions, most recently at Samford on May 14, 2019.

-The win for Rukes was his first since April 16, 2019.

-Alabama has now recorded double-digit hits in five games this season, including four of the five matchups at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

-The Crimson Tide hitters have now recorded at least one home run in seven of eight games with multiple homers in four of those contests.

-All but one starter recorded a hit on the night.

-Eight of nine starters totaled at least one run scored.

-Owen Diodati tallied his team-leading fourth home run of the season.

-Kolby Robinson’s 1-for-4 day extended his hitting streak to seven games, the longest by any member of the Crimson Tide this season. Across those seven games, Robinson is batting .346 (9-26) with four doubles, five RBI, three runs scored, two hit-by-pitch and a stolen base.

-Tyler Gentry finished his day a perfect 1-for-1 with two walks, a hit-by-pitch and a sac fly.