Bennett Lee breaks down Wake Forest's big 8th inning performance on offense, defense

Once again in Omaha, the eighth-inning heroics of Wake Forest prevailed as the Demon Deacons defeated LSU 3-2 on Tuesday in their second game of the College World Series. Wake Forest beat Stanford in their first game of the CWS with an identical score, but in Tuesday night’s matchup Deacons’ catcher Bennett Lee had his fingerprints all over the team’s win.

It all started at the top of the eighth when LSU first baseman Tre’ Morgan attempted to break the game’s 2-2 tie when Cade Beloso hit a ground ball down the third base line.

“I think it starts with the mound visit we’ve had,” Lee said. “Actually Coach Walter told me to tell Brock to maybe get the out at home if we have it. So that was already in our heads coming into it. And then Beloso hits a little squibber, and that was actually a really good play by Brock.”

Third baseman Brock Wilken secured the ball and delivered it to Lee, who tagged out Morgan at home on a play that winded up being crucial in the Deacons’ win.

“He said the ball was literally still spinning in his glove when he went to throw it. So just an unbelievable play to get the ball to me. And from my perspective, I’ve done millions of picks in my life and I just took over,” Lee said. “I got good hands and it just took over.”

The tag out at home secured Wake’s first out of the inning, quickly followed by a double play that would end the top of the eighth inning. And in the bottom of the inning with the go-ahead run on second base, Lee found himself at the plate, again faced with an opportunity to make a big-time play for Wake Forest.

“And then the at-bat, got down 0-2. I thought [Thatcher] Hurd executed a good slider on the outside corner first pitch. Then I took a really good swing at a hanging slider next pitch, fouled it right back. Battled, battled, fouled off a heater. Then it was 1-2, I think, and my boots were shaking a little bit,” Lee admitted.

Lee combatted his nerves by calling upon associate head coach Bill Cilento, who met with him during his at bat and gave him some works of affirmation that apparently paid off. Lee delivered with an RBI single to left field, sending Danny Corona home for the go-ahead run and their first lead of the entire ballgame.

“So I was, like, all right, I’m going to go talk to Billy. Get a good hug from Billy. He’s like a father figure to all of us. He’s got like five kids. So I went over for some comfort,” Lee said. “And then he was just like, hey, man, just find a way to get this ball through. I love you. And it just calmed me down, put me in a good head space for one pitch. And that’s what happened.”

Wake Forest was able to protect their narrow lead in the ninth inning and the rest is history, as they remain unbeaten this postseason thanks to Lee’s eighth-inning heroics. The Deacs now rest and wait until Wednesday, facing the winner of the LSU versus Tennessee elimination game on Tuesday night.