re: Tide Baseball 31-27 (12-17)

Diodati’s Walkoff Home Run Leads Baseball to 5-4 Win over Xavier on Opening Day

The Crimson Tide crossed four runs in the bottom of the ninth, highlighted by Diodati’s walkoff roundtripper

Alabama baseball opened the 2022 campaign in walkoff fashion as the Crimson Tide took down Xavier, 5-4, on Friday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Owen Diodati walked it off for UA on a two-run home run that capped a four-run ninth inning. The Tide trailed by three to start the ninth but a solo home run from Dominic Tamez to open the frame cut the lead to two. A double from Zane Denton put a runner on for William Hamiter, who followed with a double of his own to bring in Denton and make it a one-run ballgame. Diodati proceeded to hammer the first pitch he saw over the wall in right to send the Tide home victorious on Opening Day.

The Crimson Tide trailed all afternoon as the Musketeers took a 1-0 lead with a solo home run on the first pitch of the game. Xavier added another run in the third before the Tide got on the board thanks to a solo shot from Tamez, his first of the game, to make it a 2-1 ballgame. The Musketeers added a pair with a two-run home run in the sixth and held the Tide off the board until the ninth.

Tamez led the offensive charge with a 2-for-4 afternoon that featured a pair of solo home runs, two RBI and two runs scored. Hamiter added a two-hit day of his own, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Redshirt senior Brock Guffey (1-0) worked 2.0 scoreless innings and recorded three strikeouts to pick up the win. Guffey followed Jacob McNairy who contributed 1.0 relief frame with two punchouts. Junior college transfer Garrett McMillan got the starting nod on Friday, tossing 6.0 innings with five punchouts to open his Alabama career.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
"Overall, I'm just proud of the fight that our team showed, and I would have said that even if we would have lost the game. The spirit in the dugout was outstanding. These kids love each other, love to play, and I think today is an example of how there is a human element to what we do. If you have relentless energy, you will be successful. This was a great team win, great way to start the season, and I'm really proud of our team."

2/18 - Final Auburn 0 Oklahoma 3
2/18 - Final Albany 2 (16) Georgia 4
2/18 - Final (24) Long Beach St 3 (4) Mississippi St 0
2/18 - Final Georgia So 0 (19) Tennessee 9
2/18 - Final UNC Greensboro 7 South Carolina 9
2/18 - Final Kentucky 10 J'Ville St 8
2/18 - Final Illinois State 3 (2) Arkansas 2
2/18 - Final Charleston So 3 (5) Ole Miss 9
2/18 - Final (7) Oklahoma State 0 (3) Vanderbilt 3
2/18 - Final Missouri 12 Nicholls 1
2/18 - Final Liberty 2 (9) Florida 7
2/18 - Final Maine 1 (8) LSU 13
2/18 - Final Fordham 1 Texas A&M 13

And all of a sudden, after looking at the rest of these scores, an ugly win doesn't feel so bad.

Lets go BAMA

Carried them momentum!!! Look out!

DiMartino getting cute in his HR trot … WTH

Eli Gold is awful at baseball commentating. I mean I get it’s hard to do a 4 hour baseball game, but this is hard to listen to.

Glad Dylan made it out of the inning.

Dang, two more LOB

That's an understatement.

Ugghhh …