Deacs Lose Series Opener at Virginia

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Wake Forest fell by a final score of 17-0 on Friday night as a trio of Virginia arms combined for a no-hitter in the series opener at Disharoon Park in Charlottesville, Va.

The Demon Deacons (17-24, 7-20 ACC) were walked four times on the night as Brock Wilken tallied a trio of base on balls, a new career high. Pierce Bennett also walked in the top of the eighth.

The Cavaliers (23-21, 14-17 ACC) plated 15 of their 17 runs in three consecutive innings, capped off by an eight-run sixth frame.

Reese Robinson produced a scoreless appearance out of the Wake Forest bullpen, fanning a pair of batters while conceding just one hit in the home half of the eighth inning.

How It Happened

Brock Wilken walked with two outs to begin the game at the plate for Wake Forest. A strikeout stranded the freshman and ended the opening half inning of the contest.
Ryan Cusick tossed a hitless first frame, including one strikeout, to keep it a scoreless ballgame after the opening inning of action.
After Wake Forest was sat down in order, the Cavaliers took a 2-0 lead after two full innings behind a pair of wild pitches, a walk and two hits.
- Michael Ludowig threw out a runner at home that was trying to score from second for the third and final out of the inning.
- Cusick fanned his second batter in the inning.
Cusick worked his way out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the third inning, striking out a pair of batters to increase his game total to four.
Wilken reached base for the second time of the game with his second walk of the contest, but the next pair of Demon Deacons struck out to end the top of the fourth.
The Cavaliers extended their lead to 5-0 in the home half of the inning after a RBI-single and a two-run home run.
Virginia went up 9-0 after a four-run fifth inning behind four hits, including a two-run home run.
- Cole McNamee took over the pitching duties in the beginning of the frame before being replaced by Brennen Oxford with one out. Oxford got the Deacs out of the inning with a pair of fly outs.
An eight-run sixth inning increased Virginia's lead to 17-0 behind a pair of triples, three walks and a throwing error.
- Seth Keener opened up the frame on the mound and forced the leadoff batter to fly out to left field. Crawford Wade took the mound with two outs in the inning and forced a ground out to end the inning.
Wade returned to the mound in the seventh and tossed a scoreless frame, ending the inning with his first strikeout of the contest.
Ludowig reached base on a fielding error with one out in the top of the eighth. Following a fly out, Pierce Bennett was walked as the Deacs placed runners on first and second with two outs. A strikeout to the next batter ended the frame.
Reese Robinson tossed Wake Forest's second-consecutive scoreless inning after forcing a leadoff pop up and fanning a pair of Cavalier batters.
After the Cavaliers registered a strikeout to open the ninth, Wilken was walked for the third time of the game. Virginia fanned the next two Demon Demons to take the series opener.

On Deck
Game two of the series is set for tomorrow at 6:00 p.m., while the series finale is slated for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch. Both contests will be broadcasted live on ACC Network.

The Deacs will then travel to Myrtle Beach for their final road and midweek game of the 2021 regular season, squaring off with Coastal Carolina on Tuesday, May 18.

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Team Stats

Lucas Costello

Michael Turconi

Brock Wilken

Bobby Seymour

Players Mentioned

Pierce Bennett

Ryan Cusick

Seth Keener

Michael Ludowig

Cole McNamee

Brennen Oxford

Reese Robinson

Crawford Wade

Brock Wilken

Players Mentioned

Pierce Bennett

Ryan Cusick

Seth Keener

Michael Ludowig

Cole McNamee

Brennen Oxford

Reese Robinson

Crawford Wade

Brock Wilken

Wake Forest Athletics