Alabama
McNeese
Denton’s Walkoff Homer Caps Baseball’s Late Rally in 4-3 Win over McNeese
2/20/2021 6:16:00 PM | Baseball
The Tide scored four runs across the final three innings for the series-clinching win
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Zane Denton sent a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right to walk it off for Alabama as baseball completed the 4-3 comeback against McNeese at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Saturday win clinched the series for UA and extended the Tide's February winning streak to 16 games.
Denton's homer capped off a late-inning push by the offense as the Crimson Tide scored all four of its runs across the final three innings. Denton got Alabama on the board in the seventh with an RBI-single and was followed by a two-run home run from Owen Diodati in the eighth to even things up at three apiece.
Denton and Diodati combined with Peyton Wilson to power the Tide offense. Denton finished 3-for-4 with the home run, two RBI and a run scored. Diodati's game-tying homer added two RBI and a run while Wilson matched Denton's hit total with a 3-for-4 effort that included one run.
Alabama was able to stay in the game thanks to a strong effort from Landon Green and Chase Lee (1-0). The duo totaled 3.0 scoreless frames with four strikeouts with Lee picking up his first win of the season.
From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
"Zane (Denton), obviously, was one of the big stories of the game hitting the walkoff on his birthday. I'm just really happy for him. I don't want to take away from what he did today, but wow, Owen Diodati hitting the two-run homer to tie it up was huge. And Andrew Pinckney, making a throw 250 feet on an absolute rope like that was a game-saving play. It was pretty awesome to have so many game-winning plays. The competitive spirt of the team was awesome, there was no panic, and it's just a really great win for us."
How It Happened
- T5 | McNeese got a runner aboard with a one-out single. The man from first came home in the next at-bat on a double to right-center to get the Cowboys on the board first. (1-0, McNeese)
- T6 | The Cowboys started the inning off with a walk and got another aboard with a two-out hit-by-pitch. With two on, a double to right cleared the bases and added to the lead. (3-0, McNeese)
- B7 | William Hamiter started the Alabama rally with a one-out walk and moved himself into scoring position on a passed ball. Hamiter came home to score in that same at-bat as Zane Denton singled back up the middle for an RBI-single and the Tide's first run of the afternoon. (3-1, McNeese)
- B8 | Peyton Wilson began the inning with a single to right and moved himself up 90 feet on a wild pitch. The extra base would not matter as Owen Diodati homered over the wall in center to even things up heading to the ninth. (3-3)
- B9 | With one down, Denton sent a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right for the walkoff win to help UA secure the series victory. (4-3, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- The Crimson Tide has won 16 straight in February and owns a 29-2 mark in the month under head coach Brad Bohannon.
- Landon Green struck out a career-high four batters in his 2.0 innings of work. His previous career-best total was three last season at UNLV on Feb. 23.
- The walkoff home run by Zane Denton was Alabama's first walkoff homer since John Trousdale hit a grand slam against Grambling on May 10, 2017.
- Alabama homered twice in each of the first two games to start the 2021 season. The Tide recorded two-or-more home runs in five games last season and tallied at least one homer in 13 of 17 games during the 2020 campaign.
- The Tide offense recorded multiple home runs in back-to-back games for the first time since 2019. The Tide had two against Troy on April 2 and followed with two against South Carolina on April 5.
- ATTENDANCE: 1,764 (SELLOUT)
The Crimson Tide will go for the sweep tomorrow when the two teams square off for the series finale at The Joe. Sunday's matchup with feature right-hander Dylan Smith for Alabama while the McNeese looks to Christian Vega, also a righty. First pitch on getaway day is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT with the game airing live on SEC Network+.
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