April 11, 2021

By Alex Thompson

University of Alabama Athletics

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Owen Diodati’s three-run home run in the seventh powered Alabama baseball to a 7-4 win over Texas A&M on Sunday afternoon at Blue Bell Park.

The Tide swept the Aggies for UA’s first road series sweep in SEC play since 2017 with the win moving Alabama to 19-12 on the season, including a 5-7 mark in league play.

Texas A&M moved out front in the second with one run, but Alabama answered with a three-spot in the top of the third. The Aggies evened things up with two in the home half of that third before the two teams went scoreless until the sixth. That frame saw each team post one run to keep things knotted up heading to the seventh. Alabama broke the tie for good in the seventh thanks to a three-run home run from Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) to clinch the series sweep.

Alabama reliever Jacob McNairy (1-0) picked up the win thanks to 3 2/3 innings that saw the junior allow just one run on four hits with three strikeouts. McNairy was followed by William Freeman and Chase Lee with the duo closing out the final third of the game with a combined three scoreless frames. Lee picked up his fourth save of the season and second of the weekend with a 1-2-3 ninth that featured two punch outs.

The Crimson Tide was led at the plate by Zane Denton, who finished 3-for-5 with two RBI. Also posting a multi-RBI game was Diodati, who wrapped up his afternoon at 2-for-3 with the homer, a walk, two runs and a team-high three RBI. Peyton Wilson and T.J. Reeves each added two hits apiece with Wilson scoring two runs and Reeves contributing an RBI.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon

“This was a great weekend for us. I thought we played really well in all three facets of the game 27 innings. I’m really happy for our kids – they deserve to finally get rewarded for how hard they have been competing.”

How It Happened

B2 | With two on and two down, a single up the middle scored the man from second to get the Aggies on the board first. (1-0, Texas A&M)

T3 | Jim Jarvis drew a one-out walk with Peyton Wilson singling in the next at-bat. A walk to William Hamiter loaded them up for Zane Denton, with the Tide third baseman singling to left-center to score a pair. Sam Praytor then followed with a sacrifice fly to cap the inning’s scoring. (3-1, Alabama)

B3 | Back-to-back one-out singles put two on for A&M before a third straight single scored one. Another single loaded them up before a sacrifice fly crossed the tying run. (3-3)

T6 | Alabama regained the lead on an RBI-double from T.J. Reeves. The double crossed Owen Diodati, who walked to start the inning. (4-3, Alabama)

B6 | Ty Coleman notched a solo home run for the Aggies to even things up once again. (4-4)

T7 | Wilson led things off with a single before an intentional walk two outs later put a pair on for Diodati. The sophomore proceeded to send a ball into the Tide bullpen in right for the go-ahead three-run home run. (7-4, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

-Alabama’s sweep of Texas A&M was the Crimson Tide’s first road sweep of an SEC opponent since May 6-7, 2017, at Auburn.

-The road sweep was UA’s first since the Tide traveled to Las Vegas last season and swept UNLV from Feb. 21-23.

-Alabama’s sweep was the Tide’s first three-gamer against the Aggies. The Tide swept a two-game series with A&M in 2013 but had never swept Texas A&M in three straight games over a weekend until this one.

-Texas A&M was swept at home in a weekend series for the first time since March 17-19, 2017. The Aggies fell in three games with Kentucky.

-Jacob McNairy picked up his first career win in today’s game thanks to his 3.2 innings of work. McNairy had totaled 23 career appearances entering Sunday.

-Antoine Jean (Montreal, Que.) made his first appearance on the mound since Sunday, March 21, at Arkansas.

-With his 2-for-4 effort, Peyton Wilson extended his hitting streak to a UA season-long and career-long 11 games. Across that stretch, the sophomore is batting .460 (23-50) with three doubles, a triple and three home runs to go with eight RBI, 11 runs scored, two walks, a hit-by-pitch and five stolen bases.

-The 11-game hitting streak matches Sam Praytor’s team-high 11 gamer from Feb. 23-March 10.

-Wilson also extended his hitting streak in SEC play to nine straight contests. During that stretch, he is batting .488 (20-41) with three doubles, three homers, eight RBI, nine runs scored, two walks, a hit-by-pitch and five stolen bases.

-Zane Denton finished with a career-high tying three hits for a second consecutive day thanks to a 3-for-5 effort. Denton totaled three hits on four previous occasions entering this weekend.

-Sam Praytor’s hitting streak ended at seven games overall. During that time, Praytor batted .370 (10-27) with two doubles, two homers, seven RBI, five runs scored and four walks.

-Praytor’s SEC hitting streak also came to a close, this one at six games. Praytor batted .375 (9-24) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, five runs and three walks during that time.

-William Hamiter’s hitting streak ended at six games. Across that stretch, Hamiter batted .417 (10-24) with two doubles, a home run, two RBI, six runs, two walks and a hit-by-pitch.

The Crimson Tide will now return home to begin a five-game homestand at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Alabama will first host the Samford Bulldogs on Tuesday, April 13 at 6 p.m. CT. The midweek matchup will air on SEC Network+.