Diodati homers in Tide loss to Ole Miss
Great Lake Canadians and Junior National Team alum Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) belted his sixth home run of the season in the first game of the Alabama Crimson Tide’s doubleheader against Ole Miss on Friday. Photo: University of Alabama Athletics (File photo)
March 26, 2021
By Alex Thompson
University of Alabama Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama battled in both games of Friday’s doubleheader at Sewell-Thomas Stadium against the third-ranked Ole Miss Rebels.
The 23rd-ranked Crimson Tide first fell, 9-6, in the day game before suffering a 2-0 loss in the nightcap. UA is now 15-8 overall and 1-4 in Southeastern Conference play.
From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
“I thought for 17 out of 18 innings we absolutely went toe-to-toe with a great team, a legitimate top-five team in Ole Miss. The difference in the day was the bullpen – Ole Miss was just outstanding out of the bullpen and we didn’t match it. Both their starters were fabulous, and I thought Tyler Ras and Dylan Smith went toe-to-toe with them. I’m really proud of Dylan and Ras for how to they pitched today, but we just weren’t good enough out of the bullpen.”
GAME ONE
Alabama put together a late comeback but could not overcome an eight-run ninth, as the Crimson Tide fell, 9-6, to Ole Miss in game one of Friday’s doubleheader.
The Rebels homered to take a 1-0 lead after two innings but would not keep the lead long. The Crimson Tide answered back with two solo homers – one from Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) and one from Sam Praytor – in the bottom of the third to take the lead and then added one more run on a solo homer from Drew Williamson in the sixth.
Ole Miss would trail from the third inning until the ninth when the Rebels posted eight runs to take the lead for good. Alabama fought for three in the bottom of the ninth thanks to a three-run homer from Peyton Wilson but would get no closer with the game finishing at 9-6.
Tyler Ras was solid once again. The Crimson Tide starter contributed six innings of one-run baseball, allowing five hits and issuing four walks while striking out one Rebel hitter. Alabama reliever Brock Guffey (0-1) suffered the loss while Ole Miss reliever Tyler Myers (2-0) picked up the win. Myers was followed by Taylor Broadway who notched his fifth save of the season.
How It Happened
T2 | Ole Miss was first on the board thanks to a solo home run from Hayden Dunhurst. (1-0, Ole Miss)
B3 | Alabama answered with a pair of solo homers to take the lead. Owen Diodati evened things up, sending the first pitch he saw deep over the wall in right. Two batters later, Sam Praytor gave the Crimson Tide the lead with an opposite field home run to right. (2-1, Alabama)
B6 | A solo shot from Drew Williamson added to UA’s advantage. (3-1, Alabama)
T9 | Ole Miss posted eight runs on six hits to take the lead for the first time since the second. (9-3, Ole Miss)
B9 | Jackson Tate led off the inning with a double and was followed by a single from Caden Rose. The pair came around one batter later when Peyton Wilson sent a home run over the wall in right-center to narrow the gap, but the Tide would get no closer. (9-6, Ole Miss)
Postgame Notes
-Tyler Ras matched his career-high total for innings with six in today’s start. Ras worked six on three previous occasions, most recently with last weekend’s start at Arkansas on March 19.
-Alabama matched its season-high total for home runs with four in the game. The Tide also had four home runs at Arkansas last weekend on March 19.
-The loss was Alabama’s first with multiple home runs in a game. The Crimson Tide was previously 8-0 in games where the offense posted two-or-more home runs.
GAME TWO
Pitching dominated game two of the day as the Crimson Tide fell, 2-0, to the Rebels.
Dylan Smith (0-3) was handed the loss despite another excellent start. The right-hander kept UA in the game thanks to six innings of one-run baseball, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out eight batters. Ole Miss starter Doug Nikhazy (2-1) was handed the win after five scoreless frames that featured two walks and seven punch outs, while Broadway collected the save for the Rebels with a scoreless ninth.
How It Happened
T5 | TJ McCants sent a solo shot over the wall in right. (1-0, Ole Miss)
T8 | With runners on second and third, a single through the right side brought in one more for the Rebels. (2-0, Ole Miss)
Postgame Notes
-Dylan Smith has now pitched seven or more innings in three of his last four starts.
-Smith recorded eight strikeouts in tonight’s game and has punched out 37 over his last four outings (combined 26 2/3 innings).
-The junior did not issue a walk in his start against the Rebels. Smith has walked one or fewer batters in five of his six starts this season.
-Peyton Wilson matched his season-high total for hits with three in the nightcap. Wilson had three on two previous occasions, most recently against South Alabama on March 9.
-Two of Wilson’s hits were doubles to match his career high. Wilson also had a pair of two-baggers against Middle Tennessee last season on Feb. 26, 2020.
-Wilson also stole two bases in the game to mark a new career-high total for the sophomore. He had stolen one base on five different occasions prior to tonight.
Alabama and Ole Miss return to the diamond Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. C.T. for the series finale. The Crimson Tide looks to left-hander Antoine Jean (Montreal, Que.) in the start while the Rebels send righty Derek Diamond to the hill.