Wake Forest University
New Jersey Tech
Deacs Welcome NJIT for Four-Game Weekend Set
2/24/2022 2:27:00 PM | Baseball
Wake Forest is set to host 2021 NCAA Tournament qualifier NJIT on Feb. 25-27 inside David F. Couch Ballpark.
Game Notes | Watch (Friday) | Listen | Live Stats Game 1 | Live Stats Game 2 | Live Stats Game 3 | Live Stats Game 4
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -After moving to 4-0 with a 23-3 victory in their first midweek matchup of the season on Tuesday night, the Demon Deacons continue their season-opening homestand, welcoming NJIT for a four-game weekend set inside David F. Couch Ballpark on Feb. 25-27.
The series opens up on Friday, Feb. 25 at 4 p.m. before the teams will hit the diamond in a Saturday double-header. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26.
The teams close out the quartet of games on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The series opener on Friday can be streamed on ACC Network Extra. Fans can tune into an audio streaming broadcast through the Wake Forest Athletics app for all four games.
Stay tuned to the Demon Deacons social media accounts (@WakeBaseball) for all in-game updates and information.
Tickets & Promotions
With ticket demand at an all-time high this season, avoid the lines and purchase your tickets in advance at GoDeacs.com/tickets.
Admission starts at only $5 for general admission access, while reserved seats are available for as low as $10 for adults and $8 for youth. A limited number of other premium options are also available and can be purchased online. Fans may upgrade their experience by purchasing single-game access to the All-American Club for only $15 per ticket.
Promotional Schedule
Friday: The first 200 fans will receive the first of three Shirseys of the season.
Saturday: Students can enter to win a signed baseball by Coach Walter
Sunday: Students can enter to win a Wake Forest Baseball Prize Pack. Additionally, kids can run the bases following the end of the game.
Opponent & Series History
Wake Forest posted a 12-7 victory in the lone contest between the two programs at David F. Couch Ballpark on March 14, 2012.
With that win, the team matched the 1999 Demon Deacons by winning their 15th consecutive game. With their 15th straight win, the Deacs started 16-4 through 20 games in the 2012 season.
The winning streak tied the second-longest in school history, as the 1949 team, led by Gene Hooks, won their first 20 games of the season.
Offense Off to Historic Start
Through four games this season, Wake Forest (4-0) has plated 63 runs (15.75 runs per game), the second- most runs through the first four games in program history (1951).
Additionally, this marks just the second time in program history the Deacs have registered at least 20 runs multiple times during the opening four games of a season, also matching the 1951 squad that represented the United States at the 1951 Pan-American Games.
1951: 67 runs
-
Argentina: 29 runs
-
Brazil: 23 runs
-
Columbia: 8 runs
-
Nicaragua: 8 runs
2022: 63 runs
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Lafayette (Feb. 18): 25 runs
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Georgetown (Feb. 19): 9 runs
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VCU (Feb. 20): 6 runs
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UNC Greensboro: 23 runs
Defense and Pitching Thriving Early
The Deacs have only conceded 11 runs (2.75 per game), the fewest number of runs the Deacs have allowed in the first four games in head coach Tom Walter's tenure.
2022 (11 runs)
-
Lafayette (Feb. 18): 3 runs
-
Georgetown (Feb. 19): 1 run
-
VCU (Feb. 20): 4 runs
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UNC Greensboro (Feb. 22): 3 runs
The quartet of Rhett Lowder, Josh Hartle, Teddy McGraw and Seth Keener will start their second games of 2022 this weekend after leading the Deacs to victories in their first appearances.
In five scoreless innings on Friday against Lafayette, Lowder fanned six batters while only walking one Leopard and allowing three hits.
Hartle turned eyes in his collegiate debut, allowing just one run in five innings while striking out five batters to earn the win.
McGraw posted the first victory of his career with a team-high six innings in his start at VCU on Sunday.
Out of the bullpen, Camden Minacci and Eric Adler have slammed the door. Minacci has struck out a team-high eight batters in 3.1 scoreless innings (two appearances) while Adler earned his first save (seventh of his career) in Wake Forest's third win of the season against VCU.
Four Wake Forest arms have held opponents to a sub-.100 batting average (at least two innings):
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Derek Crum - .111 average in 2.2 innings
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Eric Adler - .143 average in 2.0 innings
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Rhett Lowder - .167 in 5.0 innings
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Teddy McGraw - .190 in 6.0 innings
Wake Forest's Offense Among Nation's Best
Wake Forest heads into their second weekend of the season with one of the top offenses in the entire nation as the Deacs have hit the most home runs (15) and hold the best slugging percentage (.795) across Division I. Additionally, Wake Forest ranks in the top 10 in on-base percentage (second), runs per game (second), batting average (fourth) and hits (146):
|
Category |
National |
ACC |
|
Home Runs |
1 |
1 |
|
Slugging Percentage |
1 |
1 |
|
On-base Percentage |
2 |
1 |
|
Walks |
3 |
1 |
|
Batting Average |
4 |
2 |
|
Runs |
4 |
2 |
|
Hits |
6 |
3 |
Among the nation's best heading into the second weekend 💪
— Wake Forest Baseball (@WakeBaseball) February 24, 2022
#️⃣1️⃣- Home Runs
#️⃣1️⃣- Slugging %
#️⃣2️⃣- On-Base %
#️⃣2️⃣- Runs Per Game
#️⃣4️⃣- Batting Average
#️⃣6️⃣- Hits pic.twitter.com/HcbpzkRfhT
Deacs Dominated Midweek Opener
The Deacs used 21 hits, eight home runs and seven scoreless innings on the mound to defeat the Spartans 23-3 in their first midweek game of the season on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
After a scoreless first frame from Seth Keener on the mound, Wake Forest jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Home runs from Brock Wilken, Adam Cecere and Danny Corona in the bottom half of the inning made sure the Demon Deacons led the rest of the way.
Wake Forest also plated six runs in the third and eighth innings, while tacking on four in the bottom of the fifth.
Eight Demon Deacons registered at least two hits, led by Corona and Brendan Tinsman with three apiece.
Corona blasted the first home runs in his Wake Forest career in the first and eighth frames. Additionally, Lucas Costello (fifth inning) and Mark Black (eighth inning) tallied grand slams in the win.
The Deacs used seven arms in the win, led by Keener. In his first collegiate start, the Pilot Mountain, N.C. native earned his first career win, allowing just one earned run and three hits in two innings of work.
Wake Forest's bullpen continued to shut down UNC-Greensboro's offense. Gabe Golob, Cam Minacci, Derek Crum, Crawford Wade, Jacob Grzebinski and Reed Mascolo pitched in relief, led by Minacci with a three-strikeout frame in the top of the fifth.
A lot of helmet hugs last night
— Wake Forest Baseball (@WakeBaseball) February 23, 2022
💣 @B_Wilkes25
💣 @AdamCecere
💣 @DC7Jr
💣 @turconi6
💣 @BrendanTinsman
💣 @LCostello6
💣 @black12_mark
💣 @DC7Jr pic.twitter.com/EBQx57WUMf
Big Bat Bennett
Pierce Bennett has led Wake Forest's offense through the first four games as the Baltimore, Md. native reached base safely 10 times, highlighted by nine hits. Overall, Bennett's batting average of .692 is tied for the third-highest in the nation.
Against Lafayette, Bennett went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, becoming the first Deacon to tally four base knocks in a game since Will Simoneit against Sacred Heart (March 1, 2020).
In the midst of Wake Forest's massive offensive performance in the fifth inning on Opening Night, Bennett smashed the first grand slam of his career as well as Wake Forest's first home run of the new season.
Wilken Back After Historic Freshman Season
Brock Wilken returns after a historic freshman season with Preseason All-American recognition from Perfect Game, Baseball America and D1 Baseball. In 2021, the Valrico, Fla. native appeared and started in all 47 games at third base, tallying a batting average of .279, 17 home runs, 44 RBIs, 41 runs scored, 11 doubles, a slugging percentage of .617 and an on-base percentage of .365.
Additionally, Wilken is at the top of the Wake Forest record book for most home runs by a freshman, tying a 20-year-old record with his solo shot on Friday, May 21
Wilken recorded 44 RBIs, the 10th-most by a freshman in program history while finishing with the most home runs by a true freshman in the nation and ranked fourth overall in the conference.
Wilken racked up the postseason honors after the season as he was named a 2021 Perfect Game First Team Freshman All-American, 2021 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American, 2021 Baseball America Third Team Freshman All-American.
This season, Wilken is batting .500 with seven hits, nine RBIs, two home runs, five runs scored, three doubles and five walks.
Wilken has reached base safely in every game this season, tallying two hits in three of Wake Forest's first four games.
His nine RBIs, 1.143 slugging percentage and three doubles rank first on the team.
On Deck
Wake Forest opens up their March slate with a midweek contest with Elon inside David F. Couch Ballpark on Tuesday, March 1 at 4 p.m. at David F. Couch Ballpark.
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