Wake Forest Athletics
Baseball Gameday: Wake Forest vs. No. 20 NC State
3/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| Gameday Central | Wake Forest vs. #20 NC State | |
| Game 15 | Friday, March 10, 6:00 p.m. |
| Coverage |  | ACC Network Extra |
| Game 16 | Saturday, March 11, 1:00 p.m. |
| Coverage | | ACC Network Extra |
| Game 17 | Saturday, March 11, 4:00 p.m. |
| Coverage | | ACC Network Extra |
| Location | Winston-Salem, N.C. (David F. Couch Ballpark) - Facility Info | Tickets | Weather |
| Information | Wake Forest Notes  | NC State Notes | ACC Release | @WakeBaseball  |
The Matchup
• Wake Forest returns home to open ACC play, taking on No. 20-ranked NC State in a three-game series.
Last Time Out
• Wake Forest knocked off the defending College World Series champions, taking down No. 18-ranked Coastal Carolina on the road by a 13-8 margin.
• The Demon Deacons totaled 16 hits, including three homers and four doubles, to stay hot offensively.
• Jake Mueller led the way with a 4-for-5 effort, notching two doubles and four RBIs, while Ben Breazeale went 3-for-6 with a double and home run.
Wake Forest Storylines
• Following the season-opening trip to Houston, the Deacs were hitting just .194 as a team and had only three players hitting better than .215. In the 10 games since, Wake Forest is hitting .373 as a team, with 53 extra-base hits.
• That surge has increased the team average to .328, while Wake Forest has scored the fifth-most runs in the nation. Seven starters are hitting .320 or better. Gavin Sheets currently leads the nation with 26 RBIs.
• Despite losing D1Baseball National Player of the Year Will Craig, a first-round pick of the Pirates, and All-American Nate Mondou, a 13th-round pick of the A's, Wake Forest does return all five of its regular starting pitchers, as well as five starting position players. Draftees Parker Dunshee (Cubs - 14th round) and Chris Farish (Indians - 31st round) elected to return to Wake Forest for the 2017 season. Dunshee, as well as outfielder Stuart Fairchild, earned Preseason All-America honors.
Opponent And Series History
• NC State is ranked in four of the six national polls, including 20th by D1Baseball and Baseball America, No. 22 by the NCBWA and No. 23 by Perfect Game.
• The Wolfpack are currently 7-6 overall, most recently defeating UNCW on the road on Wednesday by an 8-5 margin.
• NC State has a significant edge over the Demon Deacons in recent years, claiming six straight and nine of the last 10. The Deacs are looking for their first series win since 2002, which was also the last time Wake Forest hosted a regional.
Looking Ahead
• Wake Forest hits the road for five straight, beginning with a Tuesday afternoon contest at High Point. Then, the Deacs travel to Durham to play Duke at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
