Alabama Baseball Overpowers Alabama State, 9-2

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — On Wednesday afternoon, it rained at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in both a literal and figurative sense as Alabama baseball smacked Alabama State, 9-2.

When it rains, it pours, and the Crimson Tide showered both hits and runs on the Hornets. While Tuesday's game had been moved up three hours due to inclement weather, Wednesday's game didn't budge despite dark, cloudy skies that hovered over The Joe for the duration of the game.

"This group's been great about being able to kinda handle their business and they showed that again today," Alabama pitching coach Jason Jackson said after the game. "We came out and jumped on them early and I think that was huge.

"You worry about it being a little bit of a trap game with a fun weekend ahead."

Alabama began its scoring in the bottom of the second when a wild pitch scored Jim Jarvis from third base. A single by Caden Rose in the same inning drove home Will Hodo to give the Crimson Tide an early 2-0 lead.

On the bottom of the third, Jarvis hit the first home run of his Alabama career, a two-run shot into the Right Field Ragers to double the Crimson Tide's lead. While rounding the bases, Diodati believed the home run to be a fly ball, resulting in a humorous exchange between him and his teammate as Jarvis caught up to him.

"I think it was just funny," Jarvis said. "As I'm rounding the bases and I'm, like, right behind Dio because he thought it was a pop-up —which is, you know is fair — I think I kinda panicked a little bit when I touched home plate. I didn't know what to do, so I gotta work on that. But it was fun."

In the fourth, Owen Diodati earned himself an RBI-double, sending William Hamiter across the plate.

In the top of the sixth, ASU scored its first run of the game with an RBI-single by Trenton Jamison. Alabama responded in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run by Drew Williamson.

A passed ball in the bottom of the seventh gave Andrew Pinckney the opportunity to advance across the plate. The same inning, Davis Heller singled to right field, with Jarvis picking up his third run of the game.

In the top of the eighth, Jamison recorded another RBI-single, his second of the game. The run would be the final run put on the board by the Hornets.

The Crimson Tide put up no more runs in the eighth, nor did it allow the Hornets to add another in the ninth. The final score on the video board in The Joe read 9-2 in favor of Alabama.

In total, Alabama batters tallied 14 hits, including five doubles, a triple and two home runs. Jarvis led the way for the Crimson Tide, batting 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs and two RBI on the night. Diodati and Hodo also joined Jarvis in the multi-hit club on the afternoon.

"As a pitching coach, it's great," Jackson said about Alabama's season-leading 14 hits. "You love to see those runs go up. These guys have had great at-bats all year and we have a really good lineup, a deep lineup, a veteran lineup and so even when they're not falling, they're always together good at-bats.

"Definitely good to see some knocks."

Hunter Ruth (1-0), who took over for starter Hagan Banks in the third inning, picked up his first win of the season for Alabama. Nate Palmer (0-1) was saddled with the loss.

With the win, Alabama rises to 5-0 on the season. ASU drops to 1-4 on the year with the loss. Up next, the Crimson Tide will travel to take on No. 1 Texas in a three-game weekend series in Austin.

Gallery: Alabama Baseball Overpowers Alabama State