Wake Forest scratches slugger Nick Kurtz from lineup ahead of CWS matchup with LSU

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons got some bad news on Thursday night ahead of their highly anticipated matchup with the LSU Tigers in the 2023 College World Series. According to Karl Ravech of ESPN, Wake slugger Nick Kurtz was a last-minute scratch from their lineup due to a rib injury. He re-aggravated a previous injury that he suffered in Super Regionals against the Alabama Crimson Tide, when he was drilled in the ribs with a pitch. He’ll miss Thursday night’s highly anticipated matchup with LSU and that’s going to be a massive void to fill. Jack Winnay will play first base for the Demon Deacons in his place.

Kurtz belted 24 home runs and brought in 69 RBIs this year for Wake Forest. That kind of production is never easy to replace. He ranked second on the team in home runs to Brock Wilken, who has belted 31 deep shots this season for the Demon Deacons.

Kurtz had not gotten any hits during his time in Omaha, which is likely linked to the rib injury mentioned above. Thursday night’s highly anticipated pitching duel between Wake ace Rhett Lowder and LSU ace Paul Skenes lived up to the billing and then some.

Between them, both pitchers threw 15 total innings, allowing just five hits with no earned runs and five walks. Both players combined to throw 15 total strikeouts.

Check out the graphic from MLB Metrics.

Rhett Lowder and Paul Skenes today:
15 IP
5 H
0 ER
3 BB
15 K

One of the most anticipated pitching matchups in the history of college baseball, and it delivered in every aspect. pic.twitter.com/N0ASGuVEv8

— MLB Metrics (@MLBMetrics) June 23, 2023

LSU slugger Tommy White was the hero on Thursday night for the Tigers in what was one of the best games of the 2023 College World Series thus far. In the bottom of the 11th inning against Wake with the game tied at 0-0, White absolutely destroyed the baseball, sending it deep into the seats at Charles Schwab Field.

The two-run home run was his 23rd of the season and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The two-run blast lifted LSU to a 2-0 victory over the Demon Deacons in a closely contested affair. With the win, LSU punched their tickets to the 2023 CWS Final, where they’ll face off against the Florida Gators in a best-of-three series for the national crown. The CWS Final appearance marks the first time since 2017 the Tigers will be playing for the national title.

If there was one way to describe Thursday’s game, it was a pitching duel. Everyone spent the day hyping up LSU’s Paul Skenes vs. Wake Forest’s Rhett Lowder. Not only did the matchup deliver but it went further than anyone could imagine. Something college baseball fans will not forget for a long time.

Lowder went seven innings and was pulled while his pitch count was still relatively low. Skenes was extended a little more, going into the eighth inning and surpassing 100 pitches. Neither gave up a run before their respective head coaches turned to the bullpen.

On3’s Griffin McVeigh also contributed to this article.