Top-ranked Wake Forest rallies to defeat LSU, 3-2, at College World Series

Observer wire reports
·1 min read

Bennett Lee’s eighth-inning single broke a tie and led No. 1 Wake Forest to a 3-2 victory against No. 5 LSU on Monday in a winner’s bracket game at the Men’s College World Series.

LSU (49-16) heads to an elimination game on Tuesday against Tennessee, which ousted Stanford 6-4 earlier on Monday.

Wake Forest (54-10) next will meet the LSU-Tennessee winner on Wednesday and, if necessary, on Thursday. The Demon Deacons need just one more win to advance to the championship round.

The Tigers scored twice in the third inning, and the Demon Deacons responded with two runs in the sixth.

In the eighth inning, Wake Forest’s Danny Corona hit a one-out double, and Lee followed with the go-ahead hit to left field.

The run came a half-inning after LSU nearly moved on top. A double and an error put Tigers on first and third with no outs. Cade Beloso hit a grounder to third base, and Tre’ Morgan was thrown out at the plate on a call that was confirmed by video review.

Camden Minacci then took over on the mound for the Demon Deacons, and he induced an inning-ending, double-play grounder from the first batter he faced, Gavin Dugas.

Minacci then retired the side in order in the ninth, with two strikeouts, to seal the win.

Wake Forest starting pitcher Josh Hartle threw six innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits and four walks while striking out nine.

LSU reliever Thatcher Hurd took the loss after yielding one run in three innings. Tigers starter Ty Floyd fanned 10 while limiting the Demon Deacons to two runs on two hits and four walks in five innings.