How Wake Forest's Greatest Strength Killed Them in Game One and the Path Forward
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons find themselves in an all-too familiar spot as they drop another regional opener. This time, Wake found themselves leading against a Kentucky Wildcats team that barely snuck their way into the tournament. Major errors ended up costing the Deacs the victory.
Despite the fact that the loss is certainly frustrating for fans, the season is not over yet. That brings into play possible scenarios, all of which the Deacs need to win four games in three days. Let's go through the reasons for today's result and look ahead to what's next.
Bullpen Pitching Kills the Deacs
Chris Levonas was the starter and gave Wake a solid five innings of pitching. He gave up just one run and really held Kentucky's offense in check. The Deacs had the lead and the momentum, plus they were going to their bullpen, which has been extremely potent all season.
This normally beneficial situation turned into a nightmare that flipped the momentum and the result in Kentucky's favor. Rhys Bowie, maybe Wake's best bullpen guy, came in for the sixth inning and gave up four runs that gave the Wildcats the lead. He just could not find the strike zone the entire inning, walking batters and hitting one with a pitch.
Even then, the Deacs battled back to tie the game going into the ninth inning. Senior captain Will Ray was on the mound and had already gotten two big outs under his belt. A Kentucky baserunner stole both second and third base before a wild pitch sent him home, an absolutely brutal error at the worst possible time for Wake. Levonas started the game well, but the bullpen just could not get it done in a critical game for the Deacs.
Possible Scenarios
Now, fans turn their attention to what's next. The Deacs will play tomorrow at noon against the loser of the West Virginia-Binghamton game. The Deacs will need to win four in a row regardless of who they face. If West Virginia wins their first two games, it will be extremely difficult to beat them at home twice. However, here are two paths that could benefit Wake.
Path #1 - West Virginia falls to Binghamton
Some fans may like the idea of playing a weaker Binghamton team to build momentum, but I really like the idea of a win-or-go-home game against the Mountaineers tomorrow. Wake will need to beat West Virginia regardless, might as well only have to do it once with a bullpen that still has a lot of weapons. Plus, Wake will be pissed off and ready to get a win and knock out the home team.
Path #2 - West Virginia beats Binghampton, loses to Kentucky tomorrow
In this scenario, Wake would play Binghampton tomorrow. That game would allow them to play a seemingly weaker opponent and build momentum. After that, Wake would be able to face West Virginia in their first of two potential games on Saturday. This would give them momentum and allow them to face West Virginia with some weapons left in the arsenal. Either path will be an uphill battle, but there is still a chance for the Deacs.
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.