Wake Forest fell 6‑5 to Kentucky in the opening game of the Morgantown Regional on Friday, May 30, after a dramatic ninth‑inning wild pitch. The loss drops the Deacs into the losers' bracket, where they must win an elimination matchup on Saturday to stay alive.

Kentucky's 9th‑inning wild‑pitch clinches 6‑5 win

With two outs and a runner on third, Kentucky reliever Will Ray delivered a wild pitch that escaped catcher Matt Conte, allowing Jayce Tharnish to sprint home for the go‑ahead run. As the Morgantown Regional report noted, Wake was unable to answer in the bottom of the frame, sealing a 6‑5 victory for the Wildcats.

Chris Levanos' five‑inning start limits Wake to one run

Wake's right‑hander Chris Levanos worked five innings before hitting a 90‑pitch count,surrendering just one run on two hits while striking out six and issuing a single walk.. His early work left the Deacs ahead 3‑1, thanks to a first‑inning RBI single by Kade Lewis and a fourth‑inning two‑run homer from Matt Conte .

Wake's comeback rally ties game before collapse

After falling behind 5‑3 in the sixth, Wake responded with solo homers from Andrew Costello and Dalton Wentz, leveling the score at 5‑5 by the eighth inning. The rally demonstrated resilience, but the ninth‑inning miscue erased any chance of a walk‑off victory.

Losers’‑bracket elimination matchup set for May 30

The Deacs now face an elimination game on Saturday, May 30, at 12 pm ET against the loser of the West Virginia versus Binghamton contest. The game will be broadcast on ESPN networks, likely ESPN+, according to the regional schedule.

Who will Wake face in Saturday's elimination game?

The identity of Wake's next opponent remains uncertain until the West Virginia–Binghamton result is finalized ,leaving a key variable in the Deacs' path forward.