Wake Forest University
18-6, 4-5
Virginia
22-2, 7-2
No. 24 Wake Forest Captures Series Finale Against No. 10 Virginia, 8-1
3/27/2022 5:46:00 PM | Baseball
Teddy McGraw, Crawford Wade and Camden Minacci combined to hold the nation’s highest scoring offense to just one run, tying Virginia’s lowest-scoring performance of the season.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Behind a complete team effort that featured 12 Demon Deacons hits, two home runs and a great performance from a trio of Wake Forest pitchers on the mound, the No. 24 Deacs downed No. 10 Virginia on Sunday afternoon at David F. Couch Ballpark, 8-1
The Demon Deacons (18-6, 4-5 ACC) captured their fifth win over a ranked opponent and fourth over a top-10 team on Sunday. They took a 2-0 lead over the Cavaliers (22-2, 7-2 ACC) in the first inning and held onto that lead for the entirety of the series finale.
Five runs in the third and fourth innings as well as a single run in the seventh was backed up by an outstanding performance from Teddy McGraw, Crawford Wade and Camden Minacci as the trio held the nation's highest scoring offense to just one run, tying Virginia's lowest-scoring performance of the season and marking the second time this year Virginia hasn't scored at least five runs in a game.
Overall, the Wake Forest arms combined for nine strikeouts, allowed just four hits and walked just four batters.
McGraw reeled in his second victory of the season, fanning six batters while allowing just one run and three hits in five innings of action.
Wade blanked the Cavaliers in the sixth and seventh innings, striking out a pair while allowing no hits or walks.
Minacci hit the mound after Wade, tallying a strikeout and allowing one hit in a scoreless two innings to clinch the victory.
Offensively, Brendan Tinsman and Michael Turconi tallied a team-high three hits. Tinsman hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the third, extending Wake Forest's lead to 5-1. The Cape Elizabeth, Maine native is now tied with Nick Kurtz for the team lead in long flys with seven.
Turconi's leadoff single in the fourth inning marked the 150th hit of his career.
Joining Tinsman with three RBIs was Adam Cecere as the outfielder went 2-for-4 with a solo home run over the scoreboard as well as a two-RBI single for the Demon Deacons' opening runs of the game.
Pierce Bennett and Jake Reinisch plated Wake Forest's final runs with the game with RBI-doubles with two outs in the fourth and seventh innings.
How It Happened
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Despite runners on the corners, Teddy McGraw kept Virginia off the scoreboard in the top of the first.
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With Virginia base runners on first and third, McGraw struck out a batter for the second out before inducing a ground out to get out of the jam.
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Adam Cecere singled to right field with the bases loaded to give Wake Forest a 2-0 lead after the first inning.
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The Deacs loaded the bases as Nick Kurtz opened the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff single to left field, Pierce Bennett walked and Michael Turconi laid down a bunt single.
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Virginia cut Wake Forest's lead (2-1) in half with a leadoff home run in the top of the second.
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McGraw responded with his second strikeout of the game for the first out of the frame.
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The Cavaliers tallied an infield single, but McGraw retired the next two Virginia batters to preserve the Demon Deacon lead.
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Wake Forest took a 2-1 lead into the top of the third as the Deacs were unable to capitalize on a pair of walks drawn by Chris Katz and Bennett.
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McGraw returned to the mound in the third and pitched a scoreless top of the third with a line out, ground out and inning-ending strikeout as Wake Forest kept hold of their one-run lead (2-1).
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Brendan Tinsman launched his seventh home run of the season to right field to increase the Demon Deacon lead to 5-1 after three full innings.
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Brock Wilken was walked to open the frame before Adam Cecere was hit by a pitch.
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McGraw induced a trio of ground outs in the top of the fourth for a perfect 1-2-3 inning.
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The Deacs added two runs in the bottom half of the inning as Cecere fired a home run over the scoreboard and Jake Reinisch doubled to the center field gap, scoring Tinsman (single) from first.
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With Wake Forest holding a 7-1 lead, Crawford Wade took over in the top of the sixth, The lefthander struck out a pair before the inning ended with Brendan Tinsman throwing a runner out at second.
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Wade returned in the seventh and tallied a perfect 1-2-3 inning with a trio of ground outs.
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The Deacs tacked on another run with another two-out, RBI-double to add to their lead in the bottom of the inning.
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Bennett notched his first hit of the game with his two-bagger to left field, plating Kurtz from second (single and wild pitch).
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Camden Minacci was the third Wake Forest arm to hit the mound, keeping Virginia off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth inning to claim the series finale over the Cavaliers, 8-1.
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Minacci struck out a batter while allowing just one hit in the final two frames of the game.
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Words from Walter
"It was a big win. We needed it. You are never happy about being 2-4 at home in the league, but when you start out 1-4 in the league, you're happy about being 2-4 in the league. Teddy was a little shaky in the first as he walked a couple guys, but he recovered and made some really good pitches to get out of that inning. After the home run, he flipped a switch and threw the ball really well. I am really happy to see him get up to 80 pitches and give us five really good innings and give the offense a chance to get rolling.
Offensively, the big days were from Tinsman and Cecere. Cecere comes up in the first inning with one out and two strikes and hit a two-run single to right. That was huge. Tinny with the three-run home run and then Adam gives us an insurance run with a home run. Both Jake Reinisch and Cecere with two outs to go from 5-1 to 7-1. That was a huge momentum swing. Pierce Bennett's double to get us to eight. We had better at-bats today. Just a good, solid team win. Crawford Wade was really good today. I was really happy with him. Cam quite honestly didn't have his best fastball today, but found a way to get us six outs and get us a much needed W."
On Deck
Wake Forest returns to action on Wednesday, March 30 against Coastal Carolina at David F. Couch Ballpark. The game, slated for a 4 p.m. first pitch, will be broadcasted on ACC Network.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McGraw, Teddy (2-1)
L: Brandon Neeck (2-1)
Batting:
HR: Chris Newell 1
RBI: Chris Newell 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chris Newell 1
Batting:
2B: Bennett, Pierce 1 ; Reinisch, Jake 1
HR: Cecere, Adam 1 ; Tinsman, Brendan 1
RBI: Bennett, Pierce 1 ; Cecere, Adam 3 ; Tinsman, Brendan 3 ; Reinisch, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kurtz, Nick 2 ; Bennett, Pierce 1 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Cecere, Adam 2 ; Tinsman, Brendan 2
CS: Turconi, Michael 1
HBP: Cecere, Adam 1 ; Katz, Chris 1
