Memorable 2023 Baseball Season Ends at Men’s College World Series

OMAHA, Neb. – Wake Forest baseball's memorable 2023 season came to an end on Thursday night at the Men's College World Series as the top-seeded Demon Deacon fell in a winner-take-all contest against fifth-seeded LSU, 2-0.

The Deacs (54-12) finished the 2023 season with program records in regular season wins, ACC wins, ACC series wins, postseason wins and overall wins.

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 54 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.

The 2023 Wake Forest baseball team made the program's third ever Men's College World Series appearance this season, and its first since capturing the program's first national championship in 1955.

Wake Forest earned the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and went a perfect 3-0 in the Winston-Salem Regional, its first time hosting since 2017, with victories over Maryland and George Mason (twice) to host Winston-Salem's first ever super regional.

With its win over George Mason to clinch the regional title, the Deacs became the first team in program history and the nation to reach the 50-win mark.

Additionally, Wake Forest became the first team since North Carolina in 2017 to run the table and win all 10 ACC series in a season and clinched the program's first Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title since 1963

The Deacs continued their winning ways in Omaha, defeating No. 8 Stanford and No. 5 LSU.

In the opening game of the MCWS, Wake Forest came from behind to take a one-run lead in the eighth inning before Camden Minacci slammed the door in the ninth, recording a save.

In its first of three games against LSU, Bennett Lee delivered with a clutch RBI-single down the left field line to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth before Minacci once again slammed the door in the top of the ninth to clinch the victory.

The Demon Deacons strikeout numbers have been historic, ranking third in NCAA history in single-season strikeouts with a program-record 779 strikeouts:

Mississippi St. 2021 68 603.2 817
Vanderbilt 2021 67 598.0 790
Wake Forest 2023 66 581.2 779
Ole Miss 2021 67 586.1 765
Vanderbilt 2019 71 633.2 765
Southern Miss. 2022 66 596.1 746
LSU 2023 67 572.1 745
Arizona St. 1972 72 625.0 732
Mississippi St. 2019 67 600.0 718
Florida St. 1986 74 637.0 718

Wake Forest also set new program highs in strikeouts-per-nine innings (12.1), fielding percentage (.979), shutouts (10), runs (591), home runs (130), RBIs (541) and walks (424).

Despite the no decision on Thursday, Rhett Lowder put together another spectacular performance. Lowder tossed seven innings of scoreless baseball, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out six.

With his fourth strikeout of the game in the top of the fifth inning, Lowder jumped teammate Josh Hartle for the top of the record book in single-season strikeouts with his 141st K of the season. Lowder finished with six strikeouts and finished the season with 143 strikeouts.

Wake Forest Single Season Strikeouts
1. Rhett Lowder 2023 143
2. Josh Hartle 2023 140
3. Mike Buddie 1992 138

Additionally, Lowder's 325 career strikeouts rank second in program history.

Wake Forest Career Strikeouts
1. Parker Dunshee 2014-17 330
2. Rhett Lowder 2021-Pres. 325

Out of the bullpen, Michael Massey fanned five in 2.2 innings, pushing the scoreless game into the 11th.

Words from Walter
"First off, congratulations to LSU and to Florida, two great baseball teams who are going to play this weekend for a national championship. They both earned their way there, so kudos to that club. So proud of our guys, not only for the way we battled today but really all season, our consistency and toughness all season. You heard me say this time and time again this week, but the way that these guys love each other, as a coach, I'd rather coach this team and not win the national championship than coach any other team. I'm just beyond proud of them. Rhett today, what can you say about Rhett Lowder today? Paul Skenes was fantastic, and Rhett matched him pitch for pitch. It was one of the best pitched college baseball games I've ever seen. Michael Massey behind him was dominant and Hurd was too for LSU. Runs were hard to come by. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a way to scratch one across there those first 10 or so innings. Again, proud of this club. Brock Wilken, the season he put together, to be the ACC home run leader for a career in three years and to become the defensive player he's become and the athlete he's become but also the teammate he's become. I'm just proud of these two guys on my left. I can't wait to watch them play for the next 15 years on my television. Proud of this team. Proud to be a small part of it. Our coaching staff, I want to thank those guys for everything they poured into our season and honored to be a small part of it."

How It Happened

In Rhett Lowder's second outing of the Men's College World Series, he recorded a strikeout to get the first out of his start.
- Jack Winnay made a jumping play at first on a grounder and took it to the bag for the second out of the first.
- Brock Wilken took care of a grounder at third to keep the game scoreless through one inning.
In the second inning, Lowder induced a 4-6-3 ground ball for a double play.
- He followed that up one pitch later with a groundout to shortstop.
Winnay picked up the first hit of the game for the Deacs in the third, spraying a fastball to left field.
Winnay fielded the first pitch of the inning and took it to first unassisted.
- Another quick ground out got Lowder the second out of the third.
- Skipping off the mound, Justin Johnson made a nice play at second to retire the Tigers in order.
- Lowder tossed just 26 pitches through the opening three frames.
  - Eight of the first nine outs induced by Lowder were groundouts (seven groundouts and one double play).
Pierce Bennett nearly singled to right after a nine-pitch at-bat, following off numerous pitches before the ball was put in play.
In the bottom of the fourth, Lowder got a flyout to left.
- He immediately got a strikeout looking, recording his second punchout of the night.
- His third strikeout of the game got the Deacs out of the inning and tied him for the single-season strikeout record set by Josh Hartle earlier in the Men's College World Series:
  - Wake Forest Single Season Strikeouts
  - T1. Rhett Lowder 2023 140
  - T1. Josh Hartle 2023 140
  - 3. Mike Buddie 1992 138
Johnson got his first hit of the Men's College World Series in the top of the fifth with one out.
- This forced the first mound visit of the LSU staff.
Lowder continued his strong outing with a strikeout to start the bottom of the fifth, setting the new single-season record for strikeouts:
- Wake Forest Single Season Strikeouts
- T1. Rhett Lowder 2023 141
- T1. Josh Hartle 2023 140
- 3. Mike Buddie 1992 138
- A quick groundout to third got the second out of the inning.
- A flyout to center ended the inning.
  - At this point, he had retired 10 of the last 11 LSU players.
A popout in the first base foul ground, got the first out of the bottom of the sixth for Lowder and the Deacs.
- Johnson ranged and collected a ball up the middle of the infield and threw the runner out at first for the second out.
- Wilken made a stab at third to get the final out of the inning, keeping the game scoreless.
Lowder came back out for the bottom of the seventh with the game still scoreless.
- A flyout to right registered the first out of the inning as Bennett made a sliding grab coming in.
- His fifth strikeout of the game got the second out for Lowder.
- Back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning, preserving the 0-0 ballgame.
A leadoff walk by Johnson got things started for the Deacs.
- Bennett Lee moved him over to second on a sac bunt to the right side.
- Winnay struckout but the ball squirted away allowed him to reach and Johnson moved to third.
  - The Deacs nearly scored the first run on the game on a squeeze, but Johnson was tagged out inches away from touching the plate on a face-first dive.
- Hawke made good contact but the ball held up in left for the final out of the inning.
After a fantastic outing from Lowder, Cole Roland came on for him on the mound in the bottom of the eighth.
- Roland fielded a sac bunt and threw out the runner at first for the first out of the inning.
  - Michael Massey came on with the top of the order due up.
- Massey got a big punch out for the second out of the inning.
- After intentionally walking the next batter to put runners on first and second, Massey got a flyout to center to send the game to the ninth.
LSU brought in a new pitcher for the ninth.
- The game remained scoreless into the bottom half.
Massey struck out the first batter, freezing him on a breaking ball.
- He got a pop out to the third base side in foul territory for the second out.
- Battling back from 3-0, Massey got his second strikeout of the inning to send it to extra innings.
Corona hit one to the warning track in left for a loud first out in the tenth.
- After solid contact from Johnson and Lee, the game went scoreless to the bottom of the 10th.
Massey continued his outing out of the pen.
- He fanned the first for his fourth of the game.
- Massey got a weak flyout to right for the second out.
- He continued to pound the zone, striking out the final batter of the inning on three pitches.
  - Massey had set down seven in a row to this point.
In the 11th, Tommy Hawke got his first hit of the game on a nub shot down the third baseline that spun and settled in front of the third baseman with no throw to first.
- Hawke stole second on a high 1-2 fastball with two outs.
- Costello walked to put two on for Brock Wilken.
- Wilken flew out to center to keep the game scoreless into the bottom of the 11th.
Running back out for the 11th, Massey turned the ball over to Camden Minacci after one batter.
- LSU ended the game with a two-run home run to left field.

Season Highlights

Led by the program-record 15th win of the season from Rhett Lowder and three solo home runs, the No. 1 Demon Deacons secured game one in the best-of-three game Super Regional on Saturday against No. 16 Alabama, putting the Deacs on the precipice of their first trip to Omaha since winning it all in 1955.
- Rhett Lowder captured his program-record 15th victory of the year as he improved to 15-0 on the season and the Deacs moved to 17-0 when Lowder has taken the mound this season.
In the Deacs first home regional since 2017, Wake Forest totaled 48 runs, struck out 50 batters, and allowed just seven runs in three consecutive regional wins as the Deacs punched their ticket to Super Regional weekend.
The Deacs 48 runs scored over the course of the regional is the second-highest total in the opening rounds in their NCAA Tournament history:
50 in four games (1999)
48 runs in three games (2023)
- Most runs per game in NCAA opening round history (16.0 runs/game).
44 in five games (2001)
37 in four games (2002)
33 in four games (1998)
The 2023 Deacs have 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 last week.
Became the first No. 1 seed to successfully advance out of pool play since the ACC switched to its current championship format in 2017 after going a perfect 2-0 in the opening games of the tournament against eighth-seeded Notre Dame and 12th-seeded Pitt.
Posted the eighth 40-win season in program history
- The 2023 Deacs are just the second team in program history to reach the mark in the regular season (2002).
Became the first team since North Carolina in 2017 to run the table and win all 10 ACC series in a season
Clinched the program's first Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title since 1963
- ACC Regular Season Championships
  - 2023
  - 1963
  - 1962
  - 1955
Clinched its first ever ACC Atlantic Division title
Became the fastest team in program history and the first team in the nation to reach the 40-win mark with its 14-4 win against UNC Greensboro on May 9
Finished with the third-highest conference winningest percentage in program history (.759)
Finished regular season No. 1 in the RPI
After taking two out of three against Duke and Notre Dame to open ACC play, Wake Forest posted three-straight perfect weekends against Miami (first time ever), Clemson (first time since 2012) and NC State (second-straight season). The Deacs earned its first ever series win in Louisville and became the first team since 2021 to win a series at Jim Patterson Stadium. Wake Forest won its fourth-straight series against Pitt, outscoring the Panthers, 40-5, in its two wins. Two weekends ago, the Deacs claimed its third series over a top-25 opponent, taking two out of three from Boston College before claiming its second-straight series in Tallahassee this last weekend. This weekend, Wake Forest earned its first series win over the Hokies since 2019.
Deacon Nation showed tremendous support at David F. Couch Ballpark in 2023 as this year's season attendance of 57,814 fans set a new program record.
- Deacon Nation has sold out The Couch four times during the NCAA Tournament run, highlighted by back-to-back attendances of 3,903 in the Winston-Salem Super Regional against Alabama, the highest-attended games in program history.
Broke weekend attendance records three times, highlighted by its regular-season weekend attendance record of 8,096 fans to close out the regular season
Broke single-game attendance record against Virginia Tech (May 19) with an attendance of 3,023
Led nation in virtually every pitching category
- ERA
- Hits-per-nine innings
- WHIP
- Strikeouts-per-nine innings
- Strikeout-to-walk ratio
- Strikeouts
Ranked in the top six in the ACC in every offensive category

Wake Forest Honors

Pierce Bennett
- Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
Adam Cecere
- ACC Player of the Week (Feb. 27)
Danny Corona
- Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
Josh Hartle
- 2023 NCBWA First Team All-American
- 2023 ABCA Second Team All-American
- 2023 Collegiate Baseball Second Team All-American
- Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
- 2023 First Team All-ACC
- Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List
- Perfect Game Midseason All-American
- D1Baseball Midseason All-American
- Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week (March 6)
Tommy Hawke
- 2023 Second Team All-ACC
- Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
- Perfect Game Midseason All-American
Justin Johnson
- 2023 First Team All-ACC
- Winston-Salem Regional Most Outstanding Player
- Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
Seth Keener
- 2023 NCBWA Third Team All-American
- Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
- 2023 Third Team All-ACC
Nick Kurtz
- Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
- 2023 ABCA First Team All-American
- 2023 NCBWA Second Team All-American
- 2023 Collegiate Baseball Third Team All-American
- 2023 First Team All-ACC
- Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
- 2023 ACC All-Tournament Team
- ACC Player of the Week (April 24)
- Perfect Game Midseason All-American
- D1Baseball Midseason All-American
- ACC Player of the Week (Feb. 20)
- D1 Baseball Player of the Week (Feb. 20)
- Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week (Feb. 20)
- Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
- D1Baseball First Team Preseason All-America
- Perfect Game Second Team Preseason All-America
- Baseball America Third Team Preseason All-America
- Perfect Game Preseason All-ACC
Rhett Lowder
- 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Year
- 2023 Dick Howser Trophy Finalist
- 2023 ABCA First Team All-American
- 2023 NCBWA First Team All-American
- 2023 Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American
- 2023 First Team Academic All-American
- 2023 Pitcher of the Year Finalist
- 2023 NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year
- Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
- Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
- 2023 First Team All-ACC
- 2023 ACC All-Tournament Team
- 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Week (May 9)
- 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Week (April 17)
- Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List
- D1Baseball Midseason All-American
- Perfect Game Midseason All-American
- 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Week (March 27)
- 2023 Perfect Game Pitcher of the Week (March 27)
- Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
- Collegiate Baseball First Team Preseason All-America
- D1Baseball First Team Preseason All-America
- NCBWA First Team Preseason All-America
- Perfect Game First Team Preseason All-America
- Baseball America First Team Preseason All-America
- D1Baseball Preseason ACC Pitcher of the Year
- Perfect Game Preseason ACC Pitcher of the Year
- Perfect Game Preseason All-ACC
Teddy McGraw
- Perfect Game Third Team Preseason All-America
- Prospects Live Third Team Preseason All-America
- Perfect Game Preseason All-ACC
Michael Massey
- Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
Camden Minacci
- 2023 NCBWA Third Team All-American
- NCBWA Stopper of the Year Finalist
- Third Team All-ACC
- D1Baseball Third Team Preseason All-America
- Perfect Game Third Team Preseason All-America
Sean Sullivan
- 2023 Collegiate Baseball Second Team All-American
- 2023 NCBWA Third Team All-American
- First Team All-ACC
- Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List
- Perfect Game Midseason All-American
- D1Baseball Midseason All-American
- ACC Player of the Week (Feb. 27)
- Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week (Feb. 27)
- ACC Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 20)
- Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week (Feb. 20)
Tom Walter
- 2023 ACC Coach of the Year
Brock Wilken
- 2023 ABCA First Team All-American
- 2023 NCBWA Second Team All-American
- 2023 Collegiate Baseball Third Team All-American
- Second Team All-ACC
- Perfect Game Midseason All-American
- Collegiate Baseball Second Team Preseason All-America
- NCBWA Second Team Preseason All-America
- Perfect Game Second Team Preseason All-America
- Prospects Live Second Team Preseason All-America
- Baseball America Third Team Preseason All-America
- Perfect Game Preseason All-ACC

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Memorable 2023 Baseball Season Ends at Men’s College World Series

Team Stats

Tommy Hawke

Justin Johnson

Jack Winnay

Lucas Costello

Players Mentioned

Pierce Bennett

Adam Cecere

Danny Corona

Josh Hartle

Tommy Hawke

Justin Johnson

Seth Keener

Nick Kurtz

Bennett Lee

Rhett Lowder

Michael Massey

Teddy McGraw

Camden Minacci

Cole Roland

Sean Sullivan

Brock Wilken

Jack Winnay

Wake Forest Athletics

Memorable 2023 Baseball Season Ends at Men’s College World Series

Related News

Team Stats

Game Leaders

Tommy Hawke

Justin Johnson

Jack Winnay

Lucas Costello

Players Mentioned

Pierce Bennett

Adam Cecere

Danny Corona

Josh Hartle

Tommy Hawke

Justin Johnson

Seth Keener

Nick Kurtz

Bennett Lee

Rhett Lowder

Michael Massey

Teddy McGraw

Camden Minacci

Cole Roland

Sean Sullivan

Brock Wilken

Jack Winnay

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