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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Danny Corona hit a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning to roust a dormant Wake Forest offense, and the Demon Deacons opened their first College World Series in 68 years with a 3-2 win over Stanford on Saturday.
The No. 1 national seed Deacons were held to three hits and one run before storms in the area caused a 1-hour, 28-minute delay in the seventh inning.
When play resumed, the Deacons were able to squeeze out enough production to win their first game in Omaha since they won the national championship here in 1955.
Wake Forest turned a double play to end the game, prompting closer Camden Minacci to pump both of his fists and do a little dance in front of the mound while infielders did jumping chest bumps.
The Deacons (53-10) will play Monday evening against the winner of the Saturday night game between LSU and Tennessee. Stanford (44-19) plays the loser in Monday afternoon's elimination game.
Seth Keener (8-1), the third of four Wake Forest pitchers, struck out four of the five batters he faced and earned the win.
For four innings, Stanford starter Joey Dixon held down an offense that outscored its first five NCAA Tournament opponents 75-16 — the biggest run differential ever for a team heading into a CWS — and averaged 9.4 runs per game for the season.
Dixon, who gave up a homer to Brock Wilken and two singles, got out of a bases-loaded situation before he turned the game over to Drew Dowd at the start of the fifth. Dowd retired all six batters he faced, but he didn’t come back out after the delay.
Nick Dugan got out of a mini jam in the seventh, but he walked Nick Kurtz to start the eighth. Left-hander Ryan Bruno (2-2) came on and walked Wilken. Both moved up on Justin Johnson’s sacrifice before Corona ripped a grounder up the middle to score both and give him 19 RBIs, most in the tournament.
Wake Forest improved to 18-0 when ace Rhett Lowder starts. The projected first-round draft pick struggled with his command, but still had six strikeouts against one walk and limited Stanford to two runs before he left with one out in the sixth.
Stanford used two hits and a walk to load the bases in the first inning, and Lowder was on the verge of getting out of the jam when he hit Malcolm Moore with a 2-2 pitch to force in a run.
After Wilken hit his 31st homer of the season on his 21st birthday, tying the ACC single-season record and tying him with Florida’s Jac Caglianone for the national lead in 2023, Carter Graham singled in a run in the third to put Stanford up 2-1.
Stanford stranded five runners in scoring position against Lowder, and the Cardinal lost other chances to add to their lead when reliever Sean Sullivan picked off Temo Becerra and Tommy Troy at first in the sixth and seventh innings.
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Head Coach Tom Walter Says:
“It’s a great win for our team and I am just really proud of our guys. I told them after the game, if you are going to have a chance to win this thing, you are probably going to need to win a game where you do not play very well. I felt like we were tight early and nervous, and kind of got out of our plan offensively. We did not have great at-bats for the first seven innings, but you have to give credit to Stanford’s pitching. Joey Dixon and Drew Dowd did a great job and kind of held us at bay. We did just enough. Rhett Lowder did not have his great stuff as he has been battling a little virus the last couple of days, but he pitched through his mistakes and gave us a chance to win like he always does. Obviously, Brock Wilken getting us on the board with that homer in the second. And then, Danny Corona. What can I say about his at-bat other than clutch in that situation. It was a great timeout by Bill Cilento. He kind of pulled Danny down there, calmed him down and got him back to swinging on the top-half of the ball and kept him in the middle of the field there. Our bullpen with Sean Sullivan and Seth Keener did what they’ve done for us all year. Camden Minacci comes in pitch-after-pitch and gets that double play ball at the end there. Great team win and I'm really proud of our guys.”
Wake Forest Side of the Men's College World Series Bracket
- Game One: No. 1 Wake Forest def. No. 8 Stanford, 3-2 | Saturday, June 17 | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Game Two: No. 5 LSU vs. Tennessee | Saturday, June 17 | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Game Three: Loser of Game One vs. Loser of Game Two | Monday, June 19 | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Game Four: Wake Forest vs. LSU/Tennessee | Monday, June 19 | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
Standout Stats
This is the Deacs' third ever Men’s College World Series appearance, and its first since capturing the program’s first national championship in 1955.
After breaking the program record for wins in its opening game of the Winston-Salem NCAA Regional against George Mason on June 2, Wake Forest (53-10) has broken the program record for regular season wins, ACC wins, ACC series wins and overall wins this season. Additionally, the Deacs became the first team in Wake Forest history to have 50 or more wins in a single season in the NCAA Regional Final on June 4. Additionally, this year’s ballclub is just the fourth team in program history to win at least seven postseason games (2023, 2001, 1999, 1998).
Wake Forest Baseball 40-Win Seasons
- 2023- 53 overall wins (45 regular season, seven postseason)
- 2002 - 47 overall wins (42 regular season, five postseason)
- 1999 - 47 overall wins (39 regular season, eight postseason)
- 2001- 44 overall wins (37 regular season, seven postseason)
- 2017 - 43 overall wins (38 regular season wins, five postseason)
- 1998- 43 overall wins (36 regular season, seven postseason)
- 2000 - 42 overall wins, (38 regular season, three postseason)
- 2022 - 41 overall wins (39 regular season, two postseason)
Additionally, this year’s Demon Deacons squad became the 13th ACC team since 2010 to reach the 50-win mark and the 28th to do so since 2000. Additionally, the 53 wins this season marks the first 50-win season by an ACC team since 2019, the most wins by an ACC team since 2013 and is the third highest win total since 2010:
- North Carolina - 2013 - 59
- Virginia - 2011 - 56
- Wake Forest - 2023 - 53
- Louisville - 2017 - 53
- Virginia - 2014 - 53
- Louisville - 2019 - 51
- North Carolina 2011 - 51
- Virginia - 2010 - 51
- Louisville - 2016 - 50
- Florida State - 2012 - 50
- Miami - 2016 - 50
- Miami - 2015 - 50
- NC State - 2013 - 50
- Virginia - 2013 - 50
The Demon Deacons continue to lead the nation in wins (53) while having the least amount of losses among Division I teams (10). Additionally, the 53 wins are tied for the most in the ACC since 2017 and is tied for the third highest total since 2010:
- North Carolina - 2013 - 59
- Virginia - 2011 - 56
- Wake Forest - 2023 - 53
- Louisville - 2017 - 53
- Virginia - 2014 - 53
In The Spotlight
Junior pitcher Rhett Lowder’s 137 strikeouts sits just one punchout off Wake Forest’s single season strikeout record
Wake Forest Single Season Strikeouts
1. Mike Buddie 1992 138
2. Rhett Lowder 2023 137
2. Josh Hartle 2023 131
3. Griffin Roberts 2018 130
5. Mike MacDougal 1999 117
6. Kyle Sleeth 2002 113
7. Parker Dunshee 2017 111
John Hendricks 1998 111
9. Mark Seaver 1996 109
10. Sean Sullivan 2023 108
Ryan Cusick 2021 108
Additionally, with six strikeouts today, Lowder is now 11 punchouts away from breaking another program record. This mark is good for fourth among active pitchers in Division I baseball.
Wake Forest Career Strikeouts
1. Parker Dunshee 2014-17 330
2. Rhett Lowder 2021-Pres. 319
2. John Hendricks1996-99 312
4. Mike MacDougal1997-99 288
5. Buddy Jenkins 1987-91 277
6. Kyle Sleeth 2001-03 271
7. Frank Humber 1986-89 266
8. Ross Atkins 1992-95 250
9. Dave Bush 1999-02 249
10. Tim Cooney 2010-12 235
Mike Buddie 1990-92 235
This season, the two-time reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year has accumulated a 1.99 ERA in 113.1 innings to go along with a career-high 137 strikeouts.
The Albemarle, N.C. native has already received multiple accolades for his historic 2023 season:
- 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Year
- Second pitcher in conference history to win back-to-back honors
- 2023 NCBWA First Team All-American
- 2023 ABCA First Team All-American
- 2023 Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American
- 2023 National Pitcher of the Year Finalist
- 2023 Dick Howser Trophy Finalist
- 2023 NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year
- 2023 First Team All-ACC
- 2023 First Team CSC Academic All-American
- 2023 Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
- 2023 Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
Lowder finished the regular season as the conference’s leader in ERA (1.73), wins (12), innings pitched (88.2) and strikeouts (108). In ACC play, Lowder also led the conference in those same categories.
Dating back to last season, Lowder has allowed three earned runs or less in 32 of his last 34 starts.
Brock Wilken got Wake Forest on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, his 31st long fly of the season.
The home run was his 31st of the second which tied him for the ACC single-season record and tied him for the nation’s lead this season. Additionally it moved him into elite company in NCAA history, tying him for 17th in single-season history:
· Pete Incaviglia, (Oklahoma State) - 48 in 1985
· Jeff Ledbetter, (Florida State) - 42 in 1982
· Lance Berkman, (Rice) - 41 in 1997
· Brandon Larson, (LSU) - 40 in 1997
· Steve Hacker, (Missouri State) - 37 in 1995
· Mike Willes, (BYU) - 35 in 1988
· Daylan Holt, (Texas A&M) - 34 in 1999
· Troy Glaus, (UCLA) - 34 in 1997
· Nate Gold, (Gonzaga) - 33 in 2002
· Kevin Mench, (Delaware) - 33 in 1998
· Joe Dillon, (Texas Tech) - 33 in 1997
· Frank Fazzini, (Florida State) - 33 in 1985
· Ivan Melendez, (Texas) - 32 in 2022
· Billy Becher, (New Mexico State) - 32 in 2003
· Lance Shebelut, (Fresno State) - 32 in 1988
· Mark McGwire, (Southern California) - 32 in 1984
· Brock Wilken (Wake Forest) - 31 in 2023
· Jac Caglianone (Florida) - 31 in 2023
· Kris Bryant, (San Diego) - 31 in 2013
· John VanBenschoten, (Kent State) - 31 in 2001
· Casey Child, (Utah) - 31 in 1997
· J.D. Drew, (Florida State) - 31 in 1997
· Mike Willes, (BYU) - 31 in 1987
With the second-inning blast, Wilken solidified his position on Wake Forest's all-time single season home run list.
Wake Forest Single Season Home Runs
1. Brock Wilken 2023 31
2. Nick Kurtz 2023 24
Brendan Tinsman 2022 24
Billy Masse 1988 24
5. Brock Wilken 2022 23
Additionally, he increased his hold on the ACC career home record which he set in his final at-bat of the Super Regional victory over Alabama.
ACC Career Home Run Leaders
1. Brock Wilken, Wake Forest (2021-Pres)- 71
2. Anthony Maisano, GaT/WF* (1986-90)- 69
J.D. Drew, Florida State (1995-97)- 69
4. Pat Clougherty, NC State (1991-94)- 61
Wilken owns the Wake Forest career home run record, Wake Forest single-season home run record and is tied for the most home runs by a Wake Forest freshman ever.
Additionally, Kurtz and Wilken’s 55 combined home runs are the most by a duo in the nation this season:
Home runs by a duo this year
1. Brock Wilken & Nick Kurtz, WF (55)
2. Jac Caglianone & Wyatt Langford, Florida (51)
3. Nick Lorusso & Matt Shaw, Maryland (50)
On Deck
The No. 1 Wake Forest baseball team is headed back to the winner’s bracket game which is set to take place on Monday at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The Deacs will face the winner of LSU/Tennessee.
The Deacs are making the program’s third ever Men’s College World Series appearance, and its first since capturing the program’s first national championship in 1955.
Stay tuned to Wake Forest's social media accounts (@WakeBaseball) for the latest scheduling updates and information.