Live Updates: No. 16 Alabama Baseball at No. 1 Wake Forest (Super Regionals)

Score updates and analysis from Winston-Salem as the Crimson Tide plays in its first Super Regional in over a decade.

SI Editorial | Jun 10, 2023

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — It is finally game day from North Carolina as No. 16 Alabama prepares to take on No. 1 Wake Forest in the best of three Super Regional series with a spot in Omaha on the line.

The game was scheduled for an 11 a.m. start on ESPN but because of a non-game related medical emergency, it will not start on time.

Starting Lineups:

Follow along on the live blog for updates and analysis, including start times:

Game Notes

Leading Off

• Alabama and Wake Forest will meet for the fourth time in history when the two teams square off on Saturday morning at David F. Couch Ballpark. The Crimson Tide holds a 3-0 advantage in the series, including a 2-0 mark in the NCAA postseason.

• The Crimson Tide and Demon Deacons last met on Feb. 10, 1996, in Kissimmee, Fla. That neutral site pairing finished in favor of UA, 10-7.

• Alabama and Wake Forest squared off in the postseason from June 9-10, 1950. Those two matchups came in Gastonia, N.C., as part of the NCAA District III Playoffs. The Tide claimed a 3-2 win in game one before a 5-4 victory in game two to clinch a spot in the College World Series.

About Alabama

• Alabama advanced to NCAA Super Regional play after sweeping the Tuscaloosa Regional last weekend.

• A walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth by Jim Jarvis led UA to a 4-3 win over Nicholls last Friday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

• The two teams traded single tallies all night. Nicholls was first to strike with one in the second before the Tide evened things up in the fifth. Each team crossed a run in the sixth and then the seventh to set things at three apiece headed to the final two frames.

• In the ninth, Alabama used a leadoff walk from William Hamiter and a sacrifice bunt to move him into scoring position. Then, with two down, Jarvis found a hole on the left side to bring in the game-winning run.

• A pitchers’ duel kept runs at a premium in the Tide’s Regional opener. Nicholls’ starter Jacob Mayers allowed two runs on three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work. He was countered by Alabama starter Luke Holman, who gave up two runs on five hits and two walks with five punchouts in 6.0 innings pitched.

• Each bullpen then took over with Alabama’s allowing only one run compared to the Colonels’ two for the 4-3 final. Alton Davis II earned the win, tossing 1.1 scoreless frames with a walk and three strikeouts.

• In a wild game that featured six lead changes, a four-run ninth inning pushed Alabama past Troy, 11-8, last Saturday.

• UA was first to strike with two in the second before a five-run third for Troy moved them ahead. The Tide countered with a four-spot in the fourth to retake the lead before the Trojans evened things up at six apiece with one in the fifth.

• UA took the lead right back with a solo homer from Andrew Pinckney in the sixth, but once again, Troy pulled in front with a two-run sixth. Both teams would go scoreless until the ninth when a two-out error helped the Tide go on to plate four for the win.

• Alabama’s offense totaled 13 hits with eight of the nine starters recording at least one knock against Troy. Pinckney led the way once again, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple, the homer, two RBI, a pair of runs and one walk. Also homering was Caden Rose who went 2-for-3 and added a double, two RBI, two walks and a team-high three runs scored.

• Hunter Hoopes picked up the win with 1.0 scoreless frame against the Trojans, while Davis II earned his eighth save of the year thanks to a scoreless ninth that included one strikeout.

• Alabama posted an 8-0 shutout win over 24th-ranked Boston College just before dawn on Sunday into Monday to earn the title of Tuscaloosa Regional Champions.

• UA used a four-run first to put the game out of reach early. Alabama then added single tallies in the second and third to go with a two-run eighth for the 8-0 victory.

• The early offense provided Jacob McNairy with all the help he would need. In his final start at The Joe, the right-hander tossed 7.2 frames and allowed just three hits and three walks to go with a career-high 11 strikeouts for his team-high tying seventh victory. Hagan Banks and Hoopes combined for the final 1.1 innings to secure the shutout.

• Alabama’s offense accumulated a season-high 13 walks with eight of the nine starters drawing at least one base on balls. The effort at the plate was led by Mac Guscette, who went 3-for-4 with a walk, one run and a team-high four RBI. Dominic Tamez also contributed a multi-hit night, going 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, an RBI and two runs scored. Ed Johnson paced UA in walks, drawing three to go with a 1-for-2 showing and one RBI.

About Wake Forest

• Tom Walter is in his 14th season with the Demon Deacons and his 27th season overall as a collegiate head coach. He entered the 2023 campaign with a 794-661-1 career record, including a 366-330-1 mark in Winston-Salem. A 1991 graduate of Georgetown, Walter is joined on staff by associate head coach Bill Cilento along with assistant coach Corey Muscara and volunteer assistant Matt Wessinger.

• Wake Forest wrapped up the 2023 regular season as the nation’s top-ranked team at 45-9 overall, including a 22-7 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Demon Deacons finished as the ACC regular season champions and went 2-1 in the conference tournament. Wake then swept its NCAA Regional as host, finishing 3-0.

• The Demon Deacons were selected to finish second in the Atlantic Division and third overall in the ACC in the league’s preseason poll, as voted on by the conference’s head coaches. Wake tied Louisville with six votes as the preseason favorites to be crowned ACC Champions.

NCAA Super Regional

• Tuscaloosa will travel to Winston-Salem for its fourth NCAA Super Regional appearance in program history. The Crimson Tide also participated in Super Regional action in 1999, 2006 and 2010 with the ‘99 squad advancing to the College World Series.

• The Tide is in the midst of its 26th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament. UA owns a 74-51 (.592) overall record in the Tournament, including a 3-4 (.429) mark in NCAA Super Regionals.

• With last Sunday’s win over then-No. 24 Boston College, Alabama claimed its eighth Regional Championship in program history to go with titles in 1950, 1983, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2006 and 2010.

• The Crimson Tide is 2-0 against Wake Forest in the NCAA postseason. Alabama earned a 3-2 win followed by a 5-4 victory from June 9-10, 1950, in the NCAA District III Playoffs in Gastonia, N.C.

On Deck

With two wins in Winston-Salem, the Crimson Tide would advance to the 2023 College World Series in Omaha, Neb. A series loss to Wake Forest would end Alabama’s season.

Game Notes

See Also: