February 23, 2020

By Alex Thompson

University of Alabama Athletics Communications

Home Runs Power Alabama Baseball to 5-1 Win at UNLV on Sunday

The Crimson Tide bats posted three home runs to help UA complete the sweep in Vegas

LAS VEGAS – A trio of home runs led Alabama baseball to a 5-1 victory over UNLV on Sunday afternoon at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The three-game sweep of the Rebels moved the Crimson Tide to 7-0 on the season.

Junior Tyler Gentry homered twice on Sunday, finishing 2-for-4 with a career-high tying four RBI and two runs scored. Also homering was redshirt sophomore Sam Praytor, who went 1-for-3 with a solo shot. The home run for Praytor was his third of the weekend following a two-homer performance in game one of Friday’s doubleheader with the Rebels.

Alabama’s arms were good once again. Freshman and Montreal native Antoine Jean (2-0) picked up his second win of the season with 4.0 innings of one-run baseball. He was followed by sophomore Jacob McNairy and redshirt freshman Landon Green. The duo combined for 5.0 scoreless frames, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out three UNLV batters.

Postgame Notes

-With today’s win, Alabama is 7-2 in its first road series of the season under head coach Brad Bohannon. The Crimson Tide has won seven straight after falling in the first two games at Oklahoma in 2018 but rallying for the Sunday win. Since that victory in Norman, Alabama has swept South Alabama in Mobile and now UNLV in Las Vegas.

-Alabama’s bullpen did not allow a run on the weekend. The Tide’s relievers combined to throw 13.0 scoreless frames in Las Vegas.

-Jacob McNairy tossed a career-long 4.0 innings. His previous long appearance was 3.0 frames on Feb. 16 of this season against Northeastern.

-The Crimson Tide hitters have now recorded multiple home runs in four games and at least one homer in all but one contest this season.

-Alabama’s 1-2-3- hitters in senior Brett Auerbach, T.J. Reeves and Tyler Gentry contributed five of the Tide’s seven hits on the day along with four RBI and four runs.

-Gentry recorded a pair of home runs in a game for the second time in his career. He also posted a two-homer performance against Samford last season on April 19.

-Gentry’s multi-home run day is the Crimson Tide’s third of the season and second of the series in Las Vegas. Sam Praytor homered twice in game one of Friday’s doubleheader with the Rebels. The redshirt sophomore joined freshman Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.), who had two homers against Northeastern on Opening Day.

-The four-RBI outing for Gentry matched his career-high total. He produced four-RBI games on two other occasions heading into today, most recently at Troy on May 8, 2019.

-Praytor recorded his third home run of the weekend and his third of the season. Praytor’s three home runs matches his season-high total from his freshman campaign in 2018. His three homers as a freshman came across 46 games (43 starts).

-Kolby Robinson’s 1-for-4 day extended his hitting streak to six games, the longest by any member of the Crimson Tide this season. Across those six games, Robinson is batting .364 (8-22) with three doubles, three RBI, two runs scored, two hit-by-pitch and a stolen base.

Alabama will now return home to begin a 10-game homestand at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. First up is a pair of midweeks as the Crimson Tide hosts UT-Martin on Tuesday, Feb. 25 followed by Middle Tennessee on Wednesday.