Tom Walter 'beyond proud' of Wake Forest's run

In the end, head coach Tom Walter and Wake Forest fell just short of advancing to the College World Series Final, falling to LSU in extra innings.

After the game, Walter made it clear that he was incredibly proud of the effort from his team this season.

“So proud of our guys, not only for the way we battled today but really all season, our consistency and toughness all season,” Tom Walter said. “And you heard me say this time and time again this week, but the way that these guys love each other, as a coach, I’d rather coach this team and not win the national championship than coach any other team.”

Wake Forest dominated its Regional, winning games by scores of 12-0, 21-6, and 15-1. That earned the Demon Deacons a series against Alabama in the Super Regional, which they similarly dominated. Then, in Omaha for the College World Series, Wake Forest got early wins against Stanford and LSU to get within a win of the Final.

With two shots to beat the Tigers again, Wake Forest came up short twice and that’s where the team’s run ended.

“And I’m just beyond proud of them,” Tom Walter said.

The second loss to LSU was one of the best college baseball games all season long. Tom Walter sent his ace, Rhett Lowder to the mound to match LSU’s Paul Skenes. Both were as close to perfect as they could be, not allowing a run during their starts. Wake Forest threatened in the eighth inning, but a fantastic defensive play by LSU’s Tre’ Morgan saved a run.

The game was 0-0 heading into extra innings and it wouldn’t be until the 11th inning that LSU finally broke through with a walk-off home run off the bat of Tommy White.

Tom Walter says he should have walked LSU’s Cade Beloso in first game

Hindsight is 20/20 and that is certainly the case for Tom Walter. Wake Forest had two shots to beat LSU and advance but couldn’t either time. Looking back at the first game, he wishes he had walked LSU’s Cade Belaso instead of pitching to him.

“Probably should’ve walked Beloso there,” Walter told ESPN’s Kris Budden ahead of the fifth inning. “I wanted to do it 2-0 and didn’t, and it ended up costing us.”