LSU fans greet Wake Forest with standing ovation at team hotel following CWS elimination game

LSU and Wake Forest played one of the greatest Men’s College World Series games in recent memory Thursday night. For 10 innings, each team was held scoreless in a gripping pitcher’s duel.

But despite how evenly matched the teams were throughout the game, one team had to win and one team had to go home. Thanks to Tommy White‘s two-run homer in the 11th, the Tigers won 2-0 to advance to the Men’s College World Series finals.

It was a brutal finish for the Demon Deacons. But the LSU faithful did its best to show its appreciation and respect for the Wake Forest players. At the hotel after the game, the Demon Deacons walked in to a continuous round of applause from a large group of Tigers fans.

LSU fans lined up to applaud the Wake Forest players at the hotel. pic.twitter.com/mmc5UTWvnI

— Cody Worsham (@CodyWorsham) June 23, 2023

The Demon Deacons took their time getting back to the hotel, spending a good amount of time on the field together after the loss.

“It was a tough one there,” third baseman Brock Wilken said. “We kind of just embraced each other and reiterated how much we love one another. This is the last time a lot of us will get to put on this jersey…Those are my best friends. And I got to go to war with those guys every single day. I’m lucky and proud to say I played for Wake Forest baseball.”

Potential No. 1 pick Paul Skenes and potential top-10 pick Rhett Lowder set the tone for the game from the early moments in what was hyped as one of the best pitching matchups in Men’s College World Series history.

Each starter kept tossing scoreless inning after scoreless inning. Skenes finished the night with eight innings pitched with two hits, one walk and nine strikeouts. Lowder went seven innings with three hits, two walks and six strikeouts.

The bullpens continued to hold the game down until Camden Minacci, one of the best closers in college baseball, entered the game in the 11th inning after Dylan Crews singled. White smashed the first pitch over the wall in left field for the game-winning home run.

“I just told those guys I was proud of them and I loved them and wouldn’t want to be here with any other group of guys, and to hold their heads high, enjoy the moment, soak it in, just be present in the moment, take it all in,” Wake Forest manager Tom Walter said. “Wake Forest will be back in this game again, and I know it won’t be with all these guys on this team because we’ve got several guys that will be high draft picks, but we’ve got a couple of seniors too. I’m sorry they won’t be back in this game, but I know Wake Forest will be.”