March 23, 2022

By Alex Thompson

University of Alabama Athletics

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama baseball fell, 5-4, to UAB in a back-and-forth contest on Wednesday night at Regions Field.

The loss moves the Crimson Tide to 13-9 on the season.

UAB was first to strike with two runs in the first, but the Crimson Tide came right back to take the lead with a three-spot in the top of the third. The Blazers evened things up in the bottom of the fourth with one run to make it a 3-3 game after four full. Alabama regained the advantage in the sixth with one more run but single tallies from UAB in the seventh and eighth put the Blazers in front for the eventual 5-4 win.

Brady Greene (2-0) picked up the win for UAB while Collin Taylor earned his third save of the year. Alabama reliever Luke Holman (0-2) suffered the loss.

Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) belted a solo home run for the Tide.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon

“We didn’t do enough to win. We’re not a very good offensive team right now, and when you’re not very good offensively, you’re going to be in a lot of tight games. That puts a lot of pressure on your defense to play really clean, but we made some mistakes tonight and our mistakes led to runs for them. We’ve got to do better in a lot of areas, and that starts tomorrow at practice as we prepare to face a really good Mississippi State team this weekend.”

How It Happened

B1 | A two-run home run by Josh Sears got the Blazers on the board first. (2-0, UAB)

T3 | Drew Williamson led things off with a hit-by-pitch before Andrew Pinckney joined him on bases with a double to left. Bryce Eblin took advantage of his opportunity, tying the game up with a two-run double. Eblin moved to third on a flyout before coming home thanks to a sacrifice fly from Tommy Seidl. (3-2, Alabama)

B4 | The Blazers used back-to-back one-out singles to put a man at third. A third straight single, this one on a bunt, brought in the tying run for UAB. (3-3)

T6 | Owen Diodati put the Tide back in front with a solo home run over the bullpen in right-center. (4-3, Alabama)

B7 | A sacrifice bunt with a runner on third scored the tying run for the Blazers. (4-4)

B8 | The Blazers started the inning with a double to right and brought the leadoff man home in the next at-bat on a single. (5-4, UAB)

Postgame Notes

-Owen Diodati homered in tonight’s game and has recorded a roundtripper in three straight matchups dating back to Saturday’s contest with Florida. Diodati is the first Crimson Tide hitter to homer in three consecutive games since Cobie Vance from April 28-May 4, 2018.

-Diodati has also recorded a hit in six straight games thanks to his 1-for-4 effort. Across the streak, the junior is batting .391 (9-23) with three doubles, three home runs, six RBI, six runs scored and two walks.

-Jim Jarvis’ hit streak came to an end at 12 games. Over the streak, the junior batted .340 (17-50) with a double, two triples, one home run, three RBI, nine runs scored, five walks, one hit-by-pitch and three stolen bases.

-The 12-game hitting streak tied Drew Williamson (Feb. 19-March 6) for the longest by an Alabama hitter this season.

Alabama will now prepare for a weekend in Starkville to square off with the reigning national champion Mississippi State Bulldogs. Friday’s series opener is set for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch followed by a pair of 2 p.m. starts on both Saturday and Sunday.