Diodati homers twice to propel Tide to win over No. 1 Tennessee
Great Lake Canadians and Junior National Team alum Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) homered twice for the Alabama Crimson Tide to propel them to a 6-3 win over No. 1 ranked Tennessee on Friday. Photo: University of Alabama Athletics
April 15, 2022
By Alex Thompson
University of Alabama Communications
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Alabama baseball knocked off No. 1 Tennessee, 6-3, on Friday evening at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The win moved the Crimson Tide to 23-12 overall and 8-5 in Southeastern Conference play.
Tennessee got on the board early, plating two runs on four hits in the first inning. The Tide answered with a solo home run from Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) in the top of the second followed by a solo shot from Jim Jarvis in the third to even things up at two apiece. The lead became UA’s an inning later when Alabama posted three runs in the top of the fourth, highlighted by the go-ahead solo home run from Diodati, his second of the day. Alabama would not trail the rest of the evening.
The Vols cut the lead to two with a solo homer in the sixth before both teams went scoreless until the ninth. That final inning saw Alabama add an insurance run on a two-out RBI-triple from Drew Williamson to make it a 6-3 ballgame.
Tennessee singled to start the ninth but would do no more damage as the Vols were then retired in order for the final three outs, securing the series-opening win for UA.
Garrett McMillan (4-2) settled in after a shaky first to pick up his fourth win of the season. The junior gave up two runs in that opening stanza but locked in to allow just three hits and one run over his final 4 1/3 innings. McMillan’s line featured three runs on seven hits and four walks with five strikeouts across 5 1/3 frames before he turned it over to the bullpen.
Three Tide relievers combined for the final 3 2/3 scoreless innings, holding the Vols to just two hits and a walk while striking out three. The relief effort was highlighted by Dylan Ray, who worked the final 1 2/3 innings to pick up his fourth save of the season.
Alabama’s offensive effort was led by Diodati with the junior finishing 2-for-4 with two home runs, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored. The Tide’s 1-through-3 hitters also contributed two-hit efforts, as Williamson went 2-for-4 with two RBIs from the two-hole, while Jarvis and Denton each recorded a 2-for-5 night from the No. 1 and No. 3 spots, respectively.
From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
“This was just a total, complete effort. Garrett McMillan kind of nibbled early and pitched through a lot of traffic – the game almost got out of hand on us in the first couple of innings – but he settled in and put up some zeroes. We got some production up and down the lineup. Obviously (Owen) Diodati with the two home runs was big, and it was big to score in the ninth. Our bullpen was outstanding. Hunter Hoopes and Brock Guffey did a great job of getting us to Dylan Ray. This was just a great win over a great team, and I’m excited to get out here and play again tomorrow.”
How It Happened
B1 | A two-out single followed by a triple brought in one for the Vols. Another single followed to score the inning’s second run. (2-0, Tennessee)
T2 | Owen Diodati sent a 1-0 pitch the opposite way for a solo home run. (2-1, Tennessee)
T3 | Jim Jarvis evened things up with a solo homer to right. (2-2)
T4 | Diodati led off the inning with his second solo shot of the night, this one to straightaway center. Andrew Pinckney followed with a single with Bryce Eblin joining him on base thanks to a walk. A grounder to short in the next at-bat from Dominic Tamez resulted in an error and allowed Pinckney to score. After a bunt single from Jarvis loaded the bases, Drew Williamson sent a sacrifice fly to center to add one more. (5-2, Alabama)
B6 | Jorel Ortega cut into UA’s lead with a solo home run. (5-3, Alabama)
T9 | Williamson delivered an RBI-triple off the wall in center to add a late insurance run. (6-3, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
-Alabama has won 10 of the last 11 games, including a season-high eight straight.
-The win was Alabama’s first against the nation’s No.1 team since a 16-1 victory at Arkansas last season on March 19.
-Alabama has won five straight over top-10 teams, dating back to the Tide’s Sunday win against then-No. 9 Florida on March 20.
-Owen Diodati homered twice in tonight’s game. He is the first Tide batter to homer twice in a game since Dominic Tamez did so on Opening Day against Xavier.
-Diodati homered in back-to-back at-bats and is the first Alabama hitter to go deep in consecutive at-bats since T.J. Reeves did so at Samford on April 9, 2019.
-The two-homer game is the second of Diodati’s career. He also slugged two roundtrippers against Northeastern on Feb. 14, 2020, in the first game of his collegiate career.
-Jim Jarvis has reached base safely in 23 straight SEC games dating back to May 2 of last season at Missouri.
-With his 2-for-5 evening, Jarvis has recorded a hit in five straight games. Over that stretch, he is batting .455 (10-22) with a double, one home run, four RBI, seven runs, three walks and one stolen base.
-Bryce Eblin has reached base safely in 12 straight games dating back to March 26.
-Drew Williamson has reached base safely in 11 straight games dating back to March 27.
-Andrew Pinckney has reached base safely in 11 straight SEC matchups and 12 of 13 games overall in conference play.
-With his 1-for-4 night, Dominic Tamez extended his hitting streak to six games. Over that stretch, the junior is batting .320 (8-for-25) with three doubles, six RBI, four runs scored and one walk.
Alabama will go for the series win on Saturday evening in Knoxville. The Crimson Tide will look to senior right-hander Jacob McNairy for the start with the Vols calling on righty Chase Dollander, a sophomore. Game two of the weekend is set for a 5 p.m. CT first pitch with the game airing live on SEC Network+.