Wake Forest Athletics
Baseball Gameday: No. 15 Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh
5/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| Gameday Central | No. 15 Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh | |
| Game 53 | Thursday, May 18, 6:00 p.m. |
| Coverage |  | ACC Network Extra |
| Game 54 | Friday, May 19, 6:00 p.m. |
| Coverage | | ACC Network Extra |
| Game 55 | Saturday, May 20, 12:00 p.m. |
| Coverage | | ACC Network Extra |
| Location | Winston-Salem, N.C. (David F. Couch Ballpark) - Facility Info | Tickets | Weather |
| Information | Wake Forest Notes  | Pitt Notes | ACC Release | @WakeBaseball  |
The Matchup
• No. 15 Wake Forest closes out the regular season slate with a three-game series against Pitt from Thursday-Saturday.
Last Time Out
• Johnny Aiello blasted two home runs, including a go-ahead grand slam, as the Deacs beat App State, 10-3, at Keeter Stadium in Shelby on Wednesday in a game honoring 1955 College World Series team member Jim Horn. The bullpen combined to shut out the Mountaineers over the final 7.1 innings, allowing three hits with nine strikeouts.
Wake Forest Storylines
• The Deacons are a consensus top-25 team for the first time in more than a decade. Wake Forest is ranked by Baseball America (15), USA Today Coaches (18), D1Baseball (19) Perfect Game (19), NCBWA (20), and Collegiate Baseball (22).
• Wake Forest has locked up a top-five seed at the upcoming ACC Baseball Championship. The Deacs can finish anywhere from third to fifth, and will battle Virginia and Clemson for the No. 3 spot.
• For the first time in program history, five different Demon Deacons have double-digit home run totals: Gavin Sheets (18), Johnny Aiello (17), Stuart Fairchild (12), Bruce Steel (12) and Keegan Maronpot (10). The last time Wake Forest had at least four players in double figures was 2001.
• Wake Forest has matched the program records for ACC victories in a season (17) and ACC series wins (seven).
• The Deacs will honor seven seniors prior to Sunday's game: Ben Breazeale, Parker Dunshee, Chris Farish, Parker Johnson, Connor Johnstone, John McCarren and Jonathan Pryor, in addition to bullpen catcher Larry Mascolino and student manager Chas Cantrell.
Opponent And Series History
• Wake Forest and Pitt have played just four times. The Deacs won the inaugural meeting in 1940, but the Panthers claimed 2-of-3 games in the first ACC series in 2015 in Pittsburgh.
• The Panthers enter with a 22-28 overall record and 8-19 ACC mark. Pitt has claimed ACC series over Virginia Tech and Duke.
Looking Ahead
• Wake Forest heads to Louisville for the ACC Baseball Championship from May 23-28. Game dates and times will be announced after regular-season play concludes this weekend.
