Alabama baseball loses to No. 1 seed Wake Forest in NCAA Tournament super regional
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Alabama baseball lost 5-4 to No. 1 seed Wake Forest in the first game of the NCAA Tournament’s Winston-Salem Super Regional.
The Crimson Tide (43-20) and top-ranked Demon Deacons (51-10) were scheduled for a noon start Saturday, but a non-game-related medical event delayed the game for two hours and 15 minutes.
Once the teams hit the field, they hit three home runs each at David F. Couch Ballpark in Wake Forest’s closest game of the tournament. Alabama also had an assistant coach ejected during the game.
The best-of-three series continues Sunday at 11 a.m. CT. The two-game winner in Winston-Salem will make the trip to Omaha for the College World Series.
The Crimson Tide is 1-4 in its last five super regional games.
Wake Forest ace Rhett Lowder slows down Alabama baseball
Wake Forest ace Rhett Lowder is undefeated for a reason. Lowder, who carried a 14-0 record and sterling 1.77 ERA into Saturday, lasted 6⅓ innings against the Tide. Ranked No. 8 on MLB.com’s 2023 draft prospects list, Lowder hasn’t allowed more than four runs in a game this season. He gave up three runs on five hits against Alabama.
STATEMENT ON MEDICAL SITUATION: Update on Alabama baseball super regional delay due to medical situation: Statement released
EJECTION: Alabama baseball hitting coach ejected vs. Wake Forest in NCAA Tournament super regional
DELAY: Alabama baseball vs. Wake Forest in NCAA Tournament delayed due to medical situation
‘Rake’ Forest blasts off early against Crimson Tide baseball
Wake Forest, better known as “Rake” Forest by its fans, came out hot with a pair of home runs in the first two innings to take a quick lead against the Tide. The Demon Deacons entered the game ranked ninth nationally in homers.
Tommy Hawke sent the first pitch from Alabama starter Luke Holman over the right-field wall to give Wake Forest a 1-0 lead. Jason Johnson followed suit with a leadoff homer in the second.
The Crimson Tide pitching staff allowed 11 runs in three games at the Tuscaloosa Regional. Holman allowed five runs on six hits and struck out eight batters. Wake Forest scored three of its runs with two outs.
Colby Shelton, Caden Rose lead homer-happy Crimson Tide
Alabama hit three home runs to account for its four runs. Caden Rose hit two homers and Colby Shelton added another for the Crimson Tide. Rose, an all-tournament selection in the Tuscaloosa Regional, had two solo shots out of the No. 9 spot in the lineup.
Named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper on June 7, Shelton lived up to the hype against Wake Forest with a two-out, two-run blast to tie the game in the fourth inning. It was his 23rd homer of the season, a single-season record for a Crimson Tide freshman.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama baseball loses to Wake Forest in NCAA Tournament super regional
