Diodati clubs 10th homer of season in Crimson Tide loss

Great Lake Canadians and Junior National Team alum Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) belted his 10th home run of the season for the Alabama Crimson Tide in their 5-2 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday. Photo: University of Alabama Athletics

April 25, 2021

By Alex Thompson

University of Alabama Athletics

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Alabama baseball suffered a pair of losses in Sunday’s doubleheader with Kentucky at Kentucky Proud Park.

The Crimson Tide first fell, 5-2, in game one before an 11-0 loss in game two. Following the two games in Lexington, UA is 24-15 overall and 8-10 in Southeastern Conference play.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon

“This was a tough day for us against a good Kentucky team. We didn’t play very well offensively and obviously we didn’t pitch very well. We need to regroup after this one and get it out of our system before we head to UAB on Tuesday.”

GAME ONE

Alabama fell, 5-2, to Kentucky in game one of Sunday’s doubleheader.

Kentucky got on the board first with a pair of runs in the third. The Wildcats then added three more in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 5-0 ballgame. Alabama posted a pair of runs in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run from Owen Diodati (Niagara, Ont.) but would get no closer, falling in the day’s first game.

Dylan Smith (0-5) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on 11 hits with six strikeouts. Sean Harney (3-0) picked up the win for UK while Hunter Rigsby notched his second save of the season.

Postgame Notes

-Dylan Smith struck out six in his start and has punched out five or more batters in all 10 of his starts this season.

-Smith did not issue a walk for the third time in a start during the 2021 campaign. The junior has walked more than one batter in only three of his 10 starts so far.

-Alabama’s pitching duo of Smith and Connor Shamblin did not issue a walk. The Crimson Tide pitchers have not allowed a walk in six total games this season, including each of the first two matchups with Kentucky.

-William Hamiter’s hitting streak came to an end at six games. Over the six-game stretch, Hamiter batted .280 (7-25) with a double, one triple, a home run, seven RBI, six runs and four walks.

GAME TWO

The Crimson Tide suffered an 11-0 loss in game two of Sunday’s twinbill.

Kentucky used seven home runs to secure the series-clinching win. Alabama starter William Freeman (0-1) was handed the loss while Wildcat starter Zack Lee (4-3) earned the win.

Postgame Notes

-William Hamiter has reached base safely in 15 consecutive games dating back to April 2.

-Sam Praytor’s hitting streak ended at seven games. During the streak, Praytor batted .458 (11-24) with two doubles, four home runs, 12 RBI, six runs, two walks and a three hit-by-pitch.

-Praytor’s streak of reaching base safely also ended at 15 straight games, a stretch that dated back to March 27.

Next up for Alabama is a midweek matchup in Birmingham against UAB on Tuesday, April 27. The Crimson Tide and Blazers are set for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch at Regions Field, home of the Double-A Birmingham Barons.