Instant Analysis: No. 1 Wake Forest 5, No. 16 Alabama 4

A spirited effort from the Crimson Tide baseball team wasn't enough in the first game of the Winston-Salem Super Regional.

SI Editorial | Jun 10, 2023

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.— The Alabama baseball team threw its best punch at the number one team in the country on Saturday afternoon.

There were some positives, like Caden Rose's two home runs out of the number nine spot and another incredible relief outing from Aidan Moza.

Those things weren't enough to counter the hosts at David F. Couch Ballpark, especially with less production from the top of the order than Alabama would have liked, and some costly mistakes at certain points in the game.

Neither starting pitcher had his best stuff. The Crimson Tide took Demon Deacons ace Rhett Lowder deep multiple times. Alabama starter Luke Holman went 5.2 innings in the biggest game of his career but gave up all five Wake Forest runs.

The close loss stings, but Alabama was once again reminded of something it already knew — the Crimson Tide can play with anybody in the nation. That tenacity will be of the utmost importance in a must-win game on Sunday.

For the first time this postseason, Alabama's back is against the wall. It will need to throw its best punch at Wake Forest one more time this weekend. This time, the Crimson Tide will hope the punch lands flush and forces a deciding third game in the super regional on Monday.

See Also: