Wake Forest Powers Past North Carolina in Finale

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Behind seven scoreless innings on the mound, 17 hits and three home runs, the Wake Forest baseball team powered past North Carolina, 11-2, in the series finale on Sunday afternoon inside Boshamer Stadium.

The Demon Deacons (35-16-1, 12-14-1 ACC) jumped on the Tar Heels (31-19, 12-15 ACC) early as Brendan Tinsman and Nick Kurtz blasted back-to-back home runs with two outs in the top of the first.

After North Carolina plated one run in the bottom half of the inning, the Deacs pushed across seven unanswered runs, highlighted by their 21st inning with at least five runs in the third and two shutdown innings on the mound courtesy of Teddy McGraw.

Pierce Bennett notched two more two-out RBIs with a double in the second before a grand slam from Jake Reinisch as well as an RBI-single from Adam Cecere increased their lead to 10-1 halfway through the third.

An RBI-single from Tommy Hawke extended the Demon Deacon lead to double digits in the top of the fifth.

McGraw earned his fourth win of the season as the sophomore allowed just one run in 4.2 innings. After North Carolina's single run in the first, McGraw tossed three-straight scoreless innings before the Oneonta, N.Y. native and Gabe Golob combined for a zero in the fifth.

Golob returned to the mound and added another zero on the board with a strikeout, groundout and fly out in the sixth.

Crawford Wade tossed the next two innings, striking out a pair.

Camden Minacci slammed the door in the top of the ninth, retiring the Tar Heels in order to clinch the victory.

Overall, the two runs conceded marked the 11th game this season the Deacs allowed two runs or less.

Offensively, six Deacs notched multi-hit performances, led by Reinisch with a career-high four hits.

The sophomore's fifth inning bases-clearing blast marked the first grand slam of his career and the second-straight game Reinisch hit a home run. Additionally, his four runs driven in tied his previous career high set at Notre Dame on April 24.

Kurtz notched three hits for the fifth time this season, highlighted by his 12th home run of his freshman campaign.

Tinsman's two-run long fly in the first marked his 19th of the season, good for fourth in the ACC.

With his two-RBI double in the second, Bennett has now driven in a run in the last seven games he has appeared in.

How It Happened

Wake Forest jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks to back-to-back home runs with two outs from Brendan Tinsman (two-run) and Nick Kurt (solo).
- After the first two Deacs were retired, Michael Turconi fought back from a 0-2 count to walk. The redshirt junior scored on Tinsman's 19th home run of the season.
After North Carolina notched a leadoff home run and placed two more base runners to open the bottom of the first, Teddy McGraw induced a ground out before fielding a chopper back to the mound to start a 1-6-3 double play to end the frame.
Another clutch, two-out hit pushed Wake Forest lead to 5-1 in the top of the second as Pierce Bennett fired a two-run double down the left field line.
- Adam Cecere and Jake Reinisch, who scored on Bennett's two-bagger, singled to lead off the frame and were pushed to second and third following a sacrifice bunt from Danny Corona.
McGraw tossed a scoreless bottom of the second, fanning the opening batter of the inning before inducing a groundout to Kurtz at first. Following a two-out single, McGraw ended the frame with a groundout.
The Deacs exploded for their 21st inning with at least five runs this season in the top of the third, extending their lead to 10-1.
- Wake Forest loaded the bases as Tinsman and Kurtz tallied back-to-back singles and Brock Wilken reached on a fielder's choice.
- Cecere brought home Tinsman on an RBI-single to right field before Jake Reinisch blasted a no doubter over the right field wall to clear the bases.
McGraw and the Deacs took their nine-run lead into the fourth inning as a 4-6-3 double play with the bases loaded notched Wake Forest's second-straight scoreless frame.
After Wake Forest was held off the scoreboard for the first time of the game in the top of the fourth, McGraw tossed his third-straight scoreless inning with a trio of groundouts.
An infield RBI-single from Hawke scored Reinisch (single), increasing Wake Forest's lead to 11-1 after the top of the fifth.
McGraw induced the opening outs of the bottom of the fifth before Gabe Golob took over and induced a fly out to deep center field for a shutdown inning.
Golob threw Wake Forest's fifth-straight scoreless inning with a strikeout, ground out and fly out in the bottom of the sixth as Wake Forest held onto their 10-run lead.
Crawford Wade took over on the mound with two on and nobody out in the bottom half of the seventh. The lefty retired the next three batters with a pair of punchouts and a pop up to Turconi at shortstop to eliminate the scoring threat.
North Carolina added a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, trimming Wake Forest's lead to 11-2. Wade worked around a one-out singled with a pop up and ground out to end the frame.
Camden Minacci retired the Tar Heels in order in the bottom of the ninth to secure the finale victory, 11-2.

Standout Stat
Wake Forest set another program record on Sunday afternoon as the Demon Deacons were walked three times to increase their season total to 322, the most by any squad in program history.

Most Walks In A Season

322 (2022)
320 (2019)
308 (2016, 1988)
306 (2017)
304 (1990)

Additionally, the team's 322 walks are the most in the ACC and the second most in the entire nation.

Wake Forest's three home runs in the series finale increased their season total to 96 home runs, the second most in program history. The Deacs now are 11 home runs away from setting another program record this season.

Most Home Runs in a Season

106 (2017)
96 (2022)
91 (2021)
90 (1999)

In their series-clinching victory at Boston College, Wake Forest scored 20 runs to set a new program record for most games in a season with 20 runs or more as well as the most games with 20 or more runs against an ACC opponent.

Additionally, the Demon Deacons set a new program record for most runs (27) and hits (28) in an ACC game in an offensive explosion at Georgia Tech on March 19.

With their 10 runs in the third inning in the finale victory, the Deacs have now scored five runs or more in an inning 21 times this season:

Feb. 18: Lafayette - 16 runs (fifth inning)

Feb. 18: Lafayette - 8 runs (sixth inning)

Feb. 22: UNCG - 6 runs (first inning)

Feb. 22: UNCG - 6 runs (third inning)

Feb. 22: UNCG - 6 runs (eighth inning)

Feb. 25: NJIT - 6 runs (second inning)

Feb. 25: NJIT - 6 runs (seventh inning)

Feb. 26: NJIT - 5 runs (seventh inning)

March 1: Elon - 5 runs (seventh inning)

March 15: WCU - 7 runs (third inning)

March 19: Georgia Tech - 12 runs (fifth inning)

March 22: Liberty - 5 runs (ninth inning)

March 30: Coastal Carolina - 6 runs (sixth inning)

April 1: Boston College - 7 runs (seventh inning)

April 2: Boston College- 6 runs (first inning)

April 10: Duke- 6 runs (third inning)

April 16: Clemson- 7 runs (first inning)

April 24: Notre Dame - 5 runs (fifth inning)

April 27: Gardner-Webb- 5 runs (third inning)

April 30: Longwood (Game One)- 10 runs (fifth inning)

May 15: North Carolina- 5 runs (third inning)

With his two-run home run in the top of the first, Brendan Tinsman took sole possession of the 10th place for single season HRs by a Demon Deacon.

Single-Season Home Runs

1. Billy Masse (1988)- 24

2. Bobby Seymour (2021)- 21

Gavin Sheets (2017)- 21

Jamie D'Antona (2003)- 21

5. Johnny Aiello (2017)- 20

Jamie D'Antona (2002)- 20

Danny Borrell (1999)- 20

Chris Kowilcik (1991)- 20

Bill Merrifield (1982)- 20

10. Brendan Tinsman (2022)- 19

This season, Tinsman has set career highs in batting average (.353), hits (72), doubles (13), home runs (19), RBIs (56) and slugging percentage (.696).

Nick Kurtz also moved up in the Wake Forest record book as the Lancaster, Pa. native is now tied for sixth on the Wake Forest freshman home run list.

Freshman Home Runs

1. Brock Wilken (2021)- 17

Jamie D'Antona (2001)- 17

2. Allan Dykstra (2006)- 15

Anthony Maisano (1986)- 15

4. Pat Malloy (1996)- 14

Kevin Bunn (1981)- 14

6. Nick Kurtz (2022)- 12

Carlos Lopez (2009)- 12

7. Jake Austin (1989)- 11

Kurtz also ranks in the top 10 in runs (tied for second), walks (third) and RBIs (10th) by a freshman.

Words From Walter
"That was a must win and we found a way to get it done. I was really happy with our at-bats in the first three innings. Two-out RBIs were the story. Tins hits a two-out, two-run homer. Kurtz hits a two-out solo homer. Pierce Bennett hits a two-out double for two RBIs so our first five runs were on two-out RBIs, which was huge.

"Teddy McGraw was really good. Two big double-play balls. The bullpen was good. Gabe, Craw and Cam did what they needed to do. Obviously, disappointed we didn't find a way to win on Friday but it was a must win today. We won our first must-win game of the year. We need to come out ready to play on Tuesday."

On Deck
Wake Forest travels to Boone, N.C. to take on Appalachian State in its non-conference season finale on Tuesday, May 17.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+ with a paid subscription.

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Team Stats

Jake Reinisch

Nick Kurtz

Tommy Hawke

Brendan Tinsman

Players Mentioned

Pierce Bennett

Adam Cecere

Danny Corona

Gabe Golob

Tommy Hawke

Nick Kurtz

Teddy McGraw

Camden Minacci

Jake Reinisch

Bobby Seymour

Brendan Tinsman

Michael Turconi

Crawford Wade

Brock Wilken

Players Mentioned

Pierce Bennett

Adam Cecere

Danny Corona

Gabe Golob

Tommy Hawke

Nick Kurtz

Teddy McGraw

Camden Minacci

Jake Reinisch

Bobby Seymour

Brendan Tinsman

Michael Turconi

Crawford Wade

Brock Wilken

Wake Forest Athletics