Jay Johnson shares his view of defending crucial Wake Forest bunt

The most thrilling play of Thursday night’s all-time game between LSU and Wake Forest came in the top of the eighth with Marek Houston at the plate and Paul Skenes on the mound.

The Demon Deacons had one out and runners on the corners with the game tied at zero. It was a prime opportunity to steal a run off the nation’s top pitcher via a squeeze play. That’s what Wake Forest tried to do.

Houston laid a bunt down the first-base line and Justin Johnson dashed.

Tigers first baseman Tre’ Morgan charged in on the play, got the ball and did a quick toss to catcher Alex Milazzo. Milazzo tagged Johnson out to complete the best play of the Men’s College World Series.

Skenes got Tommy Hawke to line out to left to end the inning. LSU went on to win the game in the 11th inning on a Tommy White two-run homer.

“We work on it all the time,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said. “It was a big benefit who we played to get to this point, when you look at Tulane, you look at Oregon State, you look at Kentucky. That’s three of the best bunting teams in the country. And both going into the Regional and Super Regional we spent a large amount of time on bunt coverages to both sides, safety squeeze defense.”

The bunt was the best attempt to score by Wake Forest the entire game, and the best scoring opportunity by either team until White’s home run.

Skenes held the Demon Deacon hitters at bay the entire game, allowing just two hits and one walk with nine strikeouts during his eight innings of play. Wake Forest starter Rhett Lowder did the same thing on the other side, holding LSU scoreless over seven innings of three-hit ball.

Those factors helped add to the dramatics of the Wake Forest bunt play. This game wasn’t going to be lost by either team. One team was going to get a sliver of an opportunity and take advantage.

The Demon Deacons had their opportunity. But Morgan, who due to injuries didn’t play much of the year at first base, shut it down.

“We were finally able to get him back over to first base here in the postseason because he’s healthy enough to do it,” Johnson said. “What a play. Nobody’s played better in this World Series than Tre’. And there hasn’t been a bigger play in this World Series than that bunt play.”

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