Pair of Home Runs, Two-RBI Single Power Baseball to 5-2 Win at Jacksonville State

Tuesday, February 23

Jacksonville, Ala.

4 P.M.

Alabama

4-0

Jacksonville State

1-3

Alabama

Jacksonville State

Pair of Home Runs, Two-RBI Single Power Baseball to 5-2 Win at Jacksonville State

2/23/2021 8:21:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Wilson and Praytor homered to get three for UA with Hamiter’s two-RBI single putting the game out of reach

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Alabama leaned on the long ball early and used a seventh-inning two-RBI single from William Hamiter to put the game out of reach as the Crimson Tide downed Jacksonville State, 5-2, at Rudy Abbott Field on Tuesday afternoon. The win moved the Tide to 4-0 on the young season.

Peyton Wilson got UA on the board first, leading off the game with a home run. The Gamecocks answered in the second with things staying even at one until the fifth when Sam Praytor sent a two-run home run over the wall in left, giving UA the lead once again. Jacksonville State came within one, scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth but would come no closer as Hamiter's two-RBI single in the seventh put things out of reach.

Alabama's arms were solid on Tuesday, first with William Freeman. The Tide starter tossed 4.0 innings, allowing a run on four hits while striking out five. He was followed by Landon Green (1-0) who worked 2.2 frames and struck out three for the win. Chase Lee came in to close it out, tossing the final 2.1 with four punchouts to pick up the save.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon

"I'm really glad to get the win. Obviously, it wasn't pretty, and there are plenty of things that we still need to get better at, but I'm really excited to grind out a win."

How It Happened

T1 | Peyton Wilson led things off with a solo home run to start the game. It was the sophomore's second homer of the season. (1-0, Alabama)
B2 | A one-out single followed by a double to right-center got the Gamecocks on the board and evened things up at one apiece. (1-1)
T5 | Owen Diodati drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. One out later, Diodati came home on a Sam Praytor home run. Praytor sent the ball deep over the wall and trees in left to give UA the advantage once again. (3-1, Alabama)
B5 | Jacksonville State narrowed the gap to one with a two-out solo home run. (3-2, Alabama)
T7 | Diodati singled to center to give UA a one-out baserunner, and Drew Williamson followed with a walk to put two on. After an out and a JSU pitching change, Zane Denton drew a walk to load them up for William Hamiter. The Tide outfielder delivered, singling through the right side to bring in a pair and move the Tide lead to three. (5-2, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

The Crimson Tide has won 18 straight in February and owns a 31-2 mark in the month under head coach Brad Bohannon.
William Freeman tossed a career-high 85 pitches in this afternoon's game. His previous high was 64 which he had in his start against Northern Kentucky on March 10, 2019.
Peyton Wilson's leadoff home run was the first by a member of the Crimson Tide since Keith Holcombe began UA's matchup with LSU on April 27, 2019 with a solo shot.
Alabama has recorded two-or-more home runs in each of its first four games. The Tide had two home runs apiece in the first two games of the season and tonight's contest while registering three on Sunday afternoon against McNeese. Alabama 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.
Zane Denton finished his night 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to six games. Over that stretch, the sophomore is batting .526 (10-19) with a double, one triple, two home runs, five RBI, five runs scored and a walk.
Owen Diodati went 1-for-3 to move his hitting streak to six games. Diodati is batting .333 (7-21) with a double, three home runs, 11 RBI, eight runs scored, four walks, two hit-by-pitch and a stolen base across that time.

The Crimson Tide returns home to Sewell-Thomas Stadium tomorrow for a midweek pairing with UT-Martin. First pitch of the Wednesday matchup is set for 3 p.m. CT with the game airing on SEC Network+.

Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabmaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.