The party is over. Now comes survival.
No. 2 seed Wake Forest rolled into Morgantown believing they had the talent, pitching depth, and pedigree to march straight through the regional bracket.
Then Kentucky punched them in the mouth. Read more: A “Wake” up call for the Demon Deacons.
After building a 3-0 lead Friday, Wake Forest watched it evaporate. The Wildcats did what they’ve done all season—capitalize on mistakes, grind out at-bats, and turn pressure into victories. By the time the dust settled, Wake was headed to the losers bracket and staring directly at elimination.
Related: Wildcats stun Demon Deacons in Game One of Morgantown Regional
Truth of the matter
One more loss and their season is over.
“We gave them the game,” Wake Forest Director of Baseball Operations Ryan Hendricks said.
No sugarcoating, no excuses, just reality.
And Hendricks knows baseball.
Ryan Hendricks flashes a smile Friday, with his team still alive despite the loss. Credit: John Fredericks/WV Sports Nation
The son of legendary Baltimore Orioles catcher Elrod Hendricks, Ryan grew up around one of the most successful organizations in baseball history. His father caught for the great Earl Weaver and was part of Orioles teams that dominated the American League.
“My father played on some of the best teams in baseball history,” Hendricks said proudly.
The younger Hendricks played at George Washington University before being drafted by Baltimore in 1994. He spent four seasons in the Orioles system, where baseball history came full circle.
His manager?
Former Orioles catcher Andy Etchebarren.
The same Andy Etchebarren who shared catching duties with Elrod Hendricks during Baltimore’s glory years.
Long before analytics, computers, launch angles, and exit velocity charts, those two catchers collaborated, shared scouting reports, studied hitters, and became lifelong friends.
Baseball was different then — maybe better.
But one thing hasn’t changed. Winning.
And Wake Forest didn’t do enough of it Friday.
“Kentucky has feasted all season on mistakes, free passes, errors, and misplays,” Hendricks said. “That’s who they are.”
Ultimate challenge
Now Wake Forest faces the ultimate challenge… win four straight games or go home.
Most teams would panic, scrambling through scouting reports at midnight trying to figure out who to throw next.
Not Wake.
“This is what we do,” Hendricks said confidently. “Most teams have one ace. We have four.”
That’s not bravado, it’s a plan.
The Demon Deacons believe they are uniquely built for a losers-bracket run because of their pitching depth.
“We win the next four games and we’re going to the Super Regional,” Hendricks said. “It’s that simple.”
Simple? Maybe.
Easy? Not even close.
The first obstacle comes Saturday against Binghamton.
Win and up the pressure, or lose and go home.
Team resiliency
Yet inside the Wake Forest clubhouse, there is no panic.
There is anger.
Freshman right-hander Tyler Wood captured the mood perfectly.
“We’re pissed off. We know we’re the best team in this regional,” Wood said. “We know we should have won that game.”
That’s a dangerous mindset for opponents, because wounded teams can be scary. Especially talented ones.
“We’ve got a chip on our shoulder,” Wood said. “Put our backs against the wall and our best comes out.”
That’s the test now. No more talking, projections, rankings, or excuses.
Just baseball.
One game at a time. One season hanging by a thread. One clubhouse convinced it still has four wins left in it.
A senior Wake Forest baseball official summed up the entire regional in one sentence:
“At our best we can beat anybody. When we’re not at our best, we’re vulnerable.”
Welcome to postseason baseball. The margins are razor thin and the pressure is relentless.
And now one of the most talented teams in the Morgantown Regional has nowhere left to run.
Wake Forest has been backed into a corner.
The rest of the field better hope that’s not exactly where they wanted to be.
What’s next
Wake Forest must defeat Binghamton at 12 p.m. Saturday to stay alive and advance in the Morgantown Regional.
Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation for comprehensive coverage of the NCAA action at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
