Wake Forest University
Florida State
Wilken’s Huge Performance Lifts Wake Forest to 8-7 Victory at No. 17 Florida State
3/27/2021 6:53:00 PM | Baseball
The freshman third baseman’s stat line included two home runs and six RBIs on Saturday.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Behind a pair of home runs and six RBIs from freshman third baseman Brock Wilken, Wake Forest won a slugfest against No. 17 Florida State by a final score of 8-7 on Saturday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium, marking the Deacs' third ACC win of the season.
The Deacs (7-9, 3-7 ACC) tied the series with the Seminoles (12-7, 8-6 ACC) after a battle throughout for the majority of the contest as the lead changed five times and the teams combined for five home runs. The Seminoles took a 7-6 lead after their third homer of the day in the fifth. Undaunted, the Deacs immediately responded by plating the winning pair of runs in the sixth inning thanks to a Lucas Costello RBI single and a sacrifice fly from Pierce Bennett with the bases loaded.
Wake Forest held on to that 8-7 advantage for the remainder of the game after two scoreless innings from Camden Minacci and Eric Adler, who slammed the door in the ninth for his third save of the season. The duo each struck out two batters in their relief appearances.
Wilken's pair of home runs brought home the Deacs' first six runs of the game and marked the first time a Demon Deacon has launched two homers since Shane Muntz did so against Sacred Heart on March 1, 2020. Additionally, the Valrico, Fla. native's six RBIs are the most by a Wake Forest hitter since Bobby Seymour also tallied six in Tallahassee on April 28, 2019.
William Fleming earned his second win of the season after tossing six innings, striking out seven Seminoles while allowing just three earned runs. In total, Fleming pitched three scoreless innings over 102 pitches in his fifth start of the season.
A trio of Deacs joined Wilken with multi-hit performances. In the leadoff spot, Costello posted a 2-for-4 day at the plate with one RBI and one run scored. Chris Lanzilli also went 2-for-4 at the plate, his sixth multi-hit game of the season and the 49th of his career, while Michael Ludowig registered two hits, highlighted by a perfect in-field bunt in the sixth inning to load the bases prior to the final two runs of the game.
How It Happened
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Brock Wilken belted a two-run shot with two outs to left field, scoring Michael Turconi (single) to give Wake Forest a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first.
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Florida State quickly answered, taking a 4-2 lead after a grand slam with two outs.
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All Seminoles' runs were unearned after William Fleming struck out two consecutive batters with the bases loaded. The runner on third on-base who scored reached base due to a throwing error.
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Chris Lanzilli knocked in a single up the middle to start off the second inning. Florida State got out of the inning thanks to a pair of strikeouts and catching Lanzilli trying to steal second.
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Fleming responded with a perfect, 1-2-3 half inning in the second.
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The junior fanned his third batter of the contest to end the frame.
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Brock Wilken blasted a grand slam over the right field wall with one out to give Wake Forest a 6-4 advantage after three innings.
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Wilken's second home run of the day scored Michael Ludowig (single), Lucas Costello (single) and Pierce Bennett (walk).
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Fleming retired the opening Seminoles of the inning, but Florida State added a run with a home run to right field, cutting into Wake Forest's lead (6-5). Fleming got out of the inning with his fourth strike out of the game.
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The Deacs recorded a leadoff single from Adam Cecere, but were unable to take advantage as the following three batters were retired.
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The lead changed once again in the bottom of the fourth as Florida State hit a two-run shot down the left field line to take a 7-6 lead.
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Fleming pitched a scoreless fifth, striking out his fifth batter of the game and inducing a fly out and pop up as the Seminoles took their 7-6 lead to the sixth.
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The Deacs regained the lead (8-7) in the sixth, plating a pair of runs off a RBI single from Costello and a sacrifice fly from Pierce Bennett.
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Wake Forest loaded the bases once again in the sixth after Muntz and Cecere walked and Ludowig laid down a perfect bunt down the third baseline.
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Fleming allowed a leadoff walk to begin the six, but responded with three straight outs to preserve Wake Forest's one run lead (8-7).
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Fleming tallied his sixth and seventh strikeouts in his last frame of work.
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Bobby Seymour belted a ball deep to center field, but the Seminoles made a leaping catch to keep it a one-run game.
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Camden Minacci pitched a scoreless seventh frame, forcing three-consecutive outs after hitting the first batter he faced.
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Nothing was doing for the Deacs' bats in the eighth, but Minacci came back and pitched a perfect inning to keep Wake Forest's advantage at 8-7.
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The Deacs took their lead into the bottom of the ninth with Eric Adler on the mound. Adler earned his third save of the season after striking out a pair of Seminoles as the Deacs took game two by a score of 8-7.
In The Spotlight
Brock Wilken continued his sensational freshman season on Saturday against the Seminoles. Batting clean up, Wilken posted an impressive offensive performance with two home runs and six RBIs. Additionally, his pair of home runs marked his fifth and sixth blasts of his freshman campaign, a team high.
Wilken became the first Wake Forest player to hit two homers in a game since Shane Muntz did so against Sacred Heart on March 1, 2020 and record six RBIs since Bobby Seymour also tallied six in Tallahassee on April 28, 2019.
In the bottom of the ninth, Wilken made an outstanding, over-the-shoulder catch as he ran into left field and snagged a high pop-up for the second out of the inning. Eric Adler struck out a Seminole to end the game and secure the 8-7 victory for Wake Forest.
Words from Walter
"Obviously a huge win for our club. A much needed win. Offensively, the story was Brock Wilken with the two big home runs. But we scored the two runs later. It felt like we grinded some at-bats and did a better job. But I thought up and down the lineup, our at-bats were better.
On the mound, Will (Fleming) probably pitched a little better than his stat line. Obviously, the error in the first inning, and followed by the 0-2 walk in the first inning led to the four runs. But he gave us a scoreless fifth and sixth which was big to get a little more length. We were hoping to go right to (Camden) Minacci, and because he threw that scoreless sixth, it enabled us to get two out of Cam and one out of (Eric) Adler. Obviously, Cam was great tonight, and Adler made some really clutch pitches. The 3-2 slider to the leadoff guy in the ninth was a huge pitch. I thought he struck the guy out to end the game, didn't get the call, walked the next guy, but battled and got a big strikeout against their best hitter. So just a good all-around team win."
On Deck
The Deacs will look to claim the series during tomorrow's rubber match slated for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch at Dick Howser Stadium.
Wake Forest returns home for a non-conference matchup with Appalachian State on Tuesday, March 30 at David F. Couch Ballpark.
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