- Top-seeded Wake Forest is -180 favorites against the Stanford Cardinal in the College World Series
- A top seed hasn’t won the CWS in 24 years
- Don’t miss the Stanford vs Wake Forest predictions and odds below
History is against them, but the top-seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons (52-10) look to become the first top seed in 24 years to capture the College World Series.
They open play against the Stanford Cardinal (44-18), and oddsmakers have them as comfortable chalk.
It all gets underway Saturday (June 17) at 2pm ET from Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, NE. You can watch the game live on ESPN and ESPN+.
Stanford vs Wake Forest Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| [8] Stanford Cardinal | +220 | +1.5 (+115) | O 10.5 (-120) |
| [1] Wake Forest Demon Deacons | -180 | -1.5 (-145) | U 10.5 (-110) |
The Deacons are pegged as -180 favorites in the latest odds, giving them an implied win probability of 64.29%. This matchup features a total of 10.5 runs.
Stanford will be making their third straight appearance in the College World Series, and are looking for redemption, after failing to makeup it out of the elimination bracket as a 2-seed a year ago.
In case you’re new to the format, the CWS is the finale of the NCAA tourney that started with 64 teams. The remaining eight schools have been split into a pair of 4-team brackets, who will each play down in double-elimination format.
The surviving two teams from each bracket clash in a best-of-three to determine the champion.
Odds as of June 16 at Bet365. Claim a Bet365 bonus code to bet on the College World Series or see where Bet365 is legal in the US.
Stanford vs Wake Forest Probable Pitchers
Wake Forest trots out one of the best pitchers going in college ball. Rhett Lowder is a perfect 15-0 on the season, with a 2.33 ERA and better than 6-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio.
The 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Year and First-Team All-American selection last pitched in the Super Regionals against the Alabama Crimson Tide, giving up five hits and three earned runs with six strikeouts in 6.1 innings in Wake’s 5-4 win.
Rhett Lowder 🤢🤢🤢 pic.twitter.com/fc6UsawwGL
— Pat James (@patjames24) June 10, 2023
Prior to that start, he fanned 11 across six innings, while giving up just two runs in a 21-6 blasting of the Maryland Terrapins.
He’s part of a dominant pitching staff, which led the NCAA with a team-best 2.84 ERA. No other school even went sub-3.50. They also boast a 4.45 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which is tops in the nation.
Lowder vs Mathews Stats
| 15-0 | Record | 10-4 |
| 1.92 | ERA | 3.60 |
| 0.935 | WHIP | 1.208 |
| 6.24 | SO/W Ratio | 3.9 |
Stanford counters with Quinn Mathews, who enters the CWS after carrying the Cardinal in a must-win playoff against the Texas Longhorns in the Super Regionals just to get to the dance.
Mathews went the distance against Texas, giving up three hits and three earned runs on a career-high 156 pitches, while striking out a season-best 16 en route to a 8-3 win.
As a team, the Cardinals pitchers can ring ’em up there with the best of them, 13th in the NCAA’s averaging 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. However, they’re a distant 128th in team ERA at 5.75. Mathews is the only one on the staff with an ERA under 4.00.
Mathews will have to contend with the tandem of third baseman Brock Wilken, who leads Wake with 30 home runs, and first baseman Nick Kurtz, who bashed 24 of his own.
Cardinal vs Demon Deacon Predictions
If there’s a team that can challenge Lowder, the Cardinal wave some pretty heavy bats. They are ninth in the NCAA in batting average (.319), tied for 10th in home runs (117) and rank eighth in slugging percentage (.546).
Their resilience is unquestioned: after blowing a 5-2 lead in the opener of their Super Regional against Texas, the Cardinal rallied to win the final two games to punch their ticket to Omaha.
BROCK WILKEN WITH HIS SECOND HOMER OF THE DAY 😤
📺: ESPN & @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/8jMrenSfzK
— ESPN (@espn) June 11, 2023
The Deacons are no slouch offensively, and any fatigue shown by Mathews could easily turn into a pile of hits. Wake is sixth with a .556 slugging percentage, and hit .309 as a team, which ranks inside the top-20. Eight of their nine starters bat over .300.
These teams are at opposite ends of the spectrum in the 2023 College World Series odds, with the Deacons the betting favorite at +275, and the Cardinal with the 2nd-worst odds of +1200.
Stanford is battle-tested, but Wake looks to be among the most complete teams in Omaha. In a bracket that includes LSU and Tennessee, look for the Demon Deacons to get off on the right foot.
Pick: Wake Forest -1.5 (-145)
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