Wake Forest University
22-7
Elon
14-14
Demon Deacons Claim Season Series Over Elon with 6-4 Win
4/6/2022 9:11:00 PM | Baseball
Wake Forest moves to 22-7 on the season, earning their 16th non-conference victory of the season.
ELON, N.C. – Wake Forest claimed the season series over non-conference foe Elon with a 6-4 victory Tuesday inside Latham Park, marking their 22nd win of the season.
After the Phoenix (14-14, 2-4 CAA) took a 1-0 lead in the first, sophomore Seth Keener found his zone, retiring 11-straight Elon batters through the first and fourth innings. In that time frame, Keener struck out a career-high tying six batters.
Offensively, the Demon Deacons (22-7, 6-6 ACC) pushed across four runs in the third inning thanks to a trio of RBI-singles from Brock Wilken, Michael Turconi and Adam Cecere to take their first lead. Kyle Joye's second home run of the season increased their lead to 5-1 in the fourth.
After Elon plated a run in the bottom of the fifth, the Deacs pushed their lead back to four with an RBI-double from Chris Katz.
Camden Minacci registered the final six outs of the game on the mound, securing the midweek victory and his second save of the season. The Tampa, Fla. native kept Wake Forest's lead at two after a pair of Elon runs came across in the eighth.
Jake Reinisch and Katz led the Deacs at the plate with three hits apiece.
Reinisch lasered by a double to open Wake Forest's four-run third. This marked the eighth multi-performance from the sophomore and just the first with three base knocks.
Katz posted the fourth multi-hit performance of his career, including his second three-hit game of his freshman season.
With his two-RBI single in the third and leadoff double in seventh, Wilken now leads the Deacs with 36 RBIs and nine two-baggers this season.
Turconi tallied his ninth RBI in the last three games, while Cecere has driven in a run in five of Wake Forest's last six games.
Gabe Golob earned his third win of the season, limiting the damage in a bases-loaded jam in the fifth. Golob forced a fielder's choice before fanning two batters to keep Wake Forest's advantage at three.
Derek Crum blanked the Phoenix in 1.1 innings, picking up a strikeout while allowing just one hit.
Crum picked up the first out of the seventh before Zach Grace (strikeout) and Reed Mascolo (fly out) induced the final outs of the frame.
How It Happened
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Elon took an early 1-0 lead with two singles and a double in the bottom of the first. With runners on first and second and one out, Seth Keener fanned back-to-back batters to end the inning.
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Keener struck out the side in the bottom of the second, increasing his game total to five as Elon took their 1-0 lead to the third.
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The Deacs pushed across four in the top of the third with three RBI-singles to take a three-run lead (4-1) after the top of the second.
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Brock Wilken got the scoring started with a two-RBI single through the left side to score a pair. Michael Turconi scored Nick Kurtz with a base hit through the left side before Adam Cecere lasered a hit to left center, scoring Turconi.
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The Deacs loaded the bases with a leadoff double from Jake Reinisch, an infield-single from Chris Katz and a walk drawn by Kurtz.
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Kyle Joye launched a home run over the left field wall to add to Wake Forest's lead in the top of the fourth.
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This marked Joye's second round-tripper of the season.
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Keener tallied his third-straight three-up, three-down inning to end the fourth, including his sixth strikeout of the game.
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The right-hander retired 11-straight batters through four.
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Elon trimmed Wake Forest's lead to 5-2 with one run on one hit, a fielder's choice and a pair of walks.
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Gabe Golob took over on the mound with the bases loaded and no one out. After inducing the fielder's choice, which pushed across the Phoenix run, Golob fanned a pair to end the scoring opportunity.
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Wake Forest responded with a run of their own in the top of the sixth as Chris Katz notched an RBI-double, plating Piece Bennett (bunt single).
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Bennett was pushed to second with an infield single from Reinisch.
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Derek Crum tossed a scoreless sixth inning as the Deacs turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning and preserved their four-run lead (6-2).
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A leadoff double from Wilken put a runner in scoring position to open the top of the seventh, but a strikeout and double play ended the scoring threat.
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Derek Crum, Zach Grace and Reed Mascolo combined for a scoreless seventh, keeping Wake Forest's lead to 6-2.
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Crum and Grace tallied back-to-back strikeouts before Mascolo took over on the mound with a runner on second. Mascolo induced a fly out to left field to end the frame.
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Elon pushed across two runs in the bottom of the eighth, cutting Wake Forest's lead to 6-4. Camden Minacci took over on the mound with the bases loaded and nobody out. After a pair of RBI-groundouts, Minacci tallied an inning-ending strikeout.
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A Chris Katz single and walk drawn by Tommy Hawke placed runners on base with no out in the top of the ninth. The Deacs were unable to capitalize as the next three batters were retired.
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Minacci returned in the ninth, retiring the Phoenix in order to claim the midweek victory, 6-4.
Words from Walter
"We'll take any win we can get on the road. I wasn't real pleased with our offensive performance today. We left some opportunities out there. We had a man on second and third base with one out and didn't cash in a run there. First and second with nobody out in the eighth inning and we didn't cash in a run there. A man on second base with nobody out earlier in the game and couldn't cash in a run there. We left some opportunities out there. We knew Elon had a good pitching staff and they pitched well so we were happy to get the win.
Seth Keener threw the ball really well for four innings. We probably got a little tired there in the fifth. Gabe came in and did a great job. Derek Crum was really good today. Reed Mascolo came in and made a big pitch for us. Obviously, Camden Minacci was outstanding getting the last six outs. It was a good team win and we need to get ready for a good Duke team on Friday."
On Deck
Wake Forest returns home to the friendly confines of David F. Couch Ballpark for a three-game series against Big Four rival Duke on April 8-10.
Prior to Saturday, April 9th's game, Jason Michael Carroll will be performing a pre-game concert.
Country music and Wake Forest baseball fans alike will have the chance to attend the 60-minute pre-game concert for free with the purchase of a game ticket. Admission starts at only $8 for youth and $10 for adults for general admission access, additional reserved and premium seating options are available.
The show begins at 2:30 p.m., with gates opening at 2 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Golob, Gabe (3-0)
L: Reynolds, Cole (0-2)
S: Minacci, Camden (2)
Batting:
2B: Wilken, Brock 1 ; Reinisch, Jake 1 ; Katz, Chris 1
HR: Joye, Kyle 1
RBI: Wilken, Brock 2 ; Turconi, Michael 1 ; Cecere, Adam 1 ; Katz, Chris 1 ; Joye, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kurtz, Nick 1 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 1 ; Reinisch, Jake 1 ; Katz, Chris 1 ; Joye, Kyle 1
CS: Reinisch, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: Granatell, Charlie 1 ; Coolahan, Connor 1
RBI: Granatell, Charlie 1 ; Stephenson, Luke 1 ; Haskin, Parker 1 ; Jeske, Bryce 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Coolahan, Connor 1 ; Iadisernia, Alex 1 ; Stephenson, Luke 1 ; Cassella, Justin 1
HBP: Stephenson, Luke 1
