Wake Forest University
36-16-1
Appalachian State
18-30
Deacs Cap Off Non-Conference Slate with 18-4 Win at Appalachian State
5/17/2022 11:01:00 PM | Baseball
With the win, Wake Forest finished with a 24-2 non-conference record, tying for the nation’s highest winning percentage in non-league play.
BOONE, N.C. - The Wake Forest baseball team capped off non-conference play with a dominant 18-4 victory over Appalachian State on Tuesday night at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
With the midweek victory, the Demon Deacons finish the regular season with a non-conference record of 24-2, which is tied for the highest non-league winning percentage in the nation and the most non-conference wins by a Wake Forest team since 2017.
The Demon Deacons (36-16-1, 12-14-1 ACC) jumped out early for the second-straight game, scoring nine runs through the first four innings while allowing just one run and two hits from Reed Mascolo and Seth Keener on the mound.
After being held off the scoreboard in the fifth inning, Wake Forest pushed across two runs in the sixth before erupting for seven runs in the seventh to increase their lead to 18-3. This marked their 22nd inning this season with at least five runs.
Pierce Bennett (two-run), Brendan Tinsman (solo) and Brock Wilken (solo) all fired home runs in the first inning before Michael Turconi notched a two-out, two-run double in the second.
After a fielding error allowed Adam Cecere to score from first in the top of the third, Turconi blasted a two-run home run. Cecere fired Wake Forest's fifth home run of the game to cap off Wake Forest's seven-run seventh.
Overall on the mound, Wake Forest utilized six pitchers and allowed just four runs (one of which came after the aforementioned seven-run seventh) and tallied a combined nine strikeouts and just four hits allowed. Sophomore Keener (5-1) earned the victory after throwing two solid innings in the fourth and fifth frames.
Offensively, Turconi led the way at the plate with a home run and two doubles to go along with six RBIs. Bennett also notched a trio of base hits, highlighted by his two-run home run in the first. Bennett has now driven in a run in eight-straight games.
How It Happened
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Wake Forest jumped out to a 4-0 lead as the Deacs launched three home runs in the top of the first inning.
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Pierce Bennett got the scoring started with a two-run home run to left field, plating Tommy Hawke (leadoff single).
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Brendan Tinsman and Brock Wilken fired solo home runs following Bennett's two-run long fly. This marked Tinsman's 20th HR of the season, while Wilken's blast was his 18th, a new career high.
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Reed Mascolo made quick work of the Mountaineers in the bottom half of the inning, retiring Appalachian State in order with a fly out, lineout and ground out.
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A two-out, two-run double from Michael Turconi extended the Demon Deacon lead to 6-0 after the top of the second.
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Jake Reinisch and Bennett, who both walked, were brought home on Turconi's ninth double of the year.
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With Reinisch on third, Bennett stole second to get into scoring position.
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Appalachian State got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run to left center field, cutting Wake Forest's lead to 6-1. Mascolo responded, retiring the next three batters with two groundouts and a line out.
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Wake Forest got that run back in the next half inning as Adam Cecere hustled all the way from first base to score on a dropped fly ball with two outs.
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A two-run long fly, Wake Forest's fourth of the game, from Michael Turconi extended its lead to 9-1 in the top of the fourth.
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Hawke notched a leadoff double down the right field line and scored on the redshirt junior's home run.
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Seth Keener replaced Mascolo on the mound and registered a scoreless inning, retiring the first two batters he faced. After an error and walk, Keener forced a fly out to end the inning and preserve Wake Forest's eight run lead.
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The Mountaineers added one run in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to right center field with two outs. Keener induced his third ground out of the frame to end the inning.
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A fielding error and RBI-single from Wilken in the top of the sixth extended the Demon Deacon lead to 11-2.
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Bennett tallied a leadoff single and moved to second as Turconi walked.
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Appalachian State pushed across a run in the bottom half of the inning on a sacrifice fly.
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The Deacs erupted for seven runs in the seventh inning to increase their lead to 18-3.
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Lucas Costello notched an RBI-single before Bennett doubled down the left field line to score Corona.
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Turconi notched his fifth and sixth RBIs of the game with his second double of the game.
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Zach Sehgal singled up the middle and advanced James Broderick to third base before a throwing error pushed Broderick home.
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Cecere capped off the big inning with a two-run home run.
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Eric Adler struck out three batters in the bottom half of the inning.
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Appalachian State pushed across a run on a throwing error with two outs in the frame.
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Corona, Kyle Joye and Broderick all walked in the top of the eighth inning, but a double play ended the scoring opportunity.
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Zach Grace tossed a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning, highlighted by an inning-ending strikeout.
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Brennen Oxford clinched the midweek victory in the bottom of the ninth, inducing a ground out and pop up before fanning a Mountaineer batter for the third and final out.
Standout Stats
Wake Forest set another program record on Sunday afternoon as the Demon Deacons were walked 12 times to increase their season total to 334, the most by any squad in program history.
Most Walks In A Season
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334 (2022)
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320 (2019)
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308 (2016, 1988)
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306 (2017)
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304 (1990)
Additionally, the team's 334 walks are the most in the ACC and the second most in the entire nation.
The Deacs have been walked at least 10 times in eight games this season. In all but one of those contests, Wake Forest has notched double-digit hits, while reaching double digits in all three categories six times.
|
Opponent |
Hits |
Walks |
Runs |
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Lafayette |
18 |
13 |
25 |
|
Georgetown |
12 |
13 |
9 |
|
UNCG |
21 |
10 |
23 |
|
George Mason |
14 |
10 |
23 |
|
Georgia Tech |
4 |
11 |
5 |
|
Liberty |
11 |
12 |
10 |
|
Louisville |
16 |
12 |
14 |
|
App State |
15 |
12 |
18 |
Wake Forest's five home runs in its midweek finale increased their season total to 101 home runs, the second most in program history. The Deacs now are six home runs away from setting another program record this season.
Most Home Runs in a Season
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106 (2017)
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101 (2022)
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91 (2021)
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90 (1999)
With their seven runs in the seventh inning in the midweek finale, the Deacs have now scored five runs or more in an inning 22 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)
May 17: Appalachian State- 7 runs (seventh inning)
With their first-inning home runs, Brendan Tinsman and Brock Wilken moved up on Wake Forest's single season home run list as the duo has set a new career high in home runs this season.
Single-Season Home Runs
1. Billy Masse (1988)- 24
2. Bobby Seymour (2021)- 21
Gavin Sheets (2017)- 21
Jamie D'Antona (2003)- 21
5. Brendan Tinsman (2022)- 20
Johnny Aiello (2017)- 20
Jamie D'Antona (2002)- 20
Danny Borrell (1999)- 20
Chris Kowilcik (1991)- 20
Bill Merrifield (1982)- 20
10. Brock Wilken (2022)- 18
Allan Dykstra (2007)- 18
Jon Palmieri (1999)- 18
Dave Lardieri (1997)-18
Brick Smith (1981)-18
This marks just the third season in program history that two Demon Deacons have landed on the list in the same year (1999, 2017, 2022).
This season, Tinsman has set career highs in batting average (.349) hits (73), doubles (13), home runs (20) and RBIs (57). .
Wilken has also had a career year, posting bests in hits (59), runs (51), home runs (18), RBIs (66) and walks (33).
Words From Walter
"It was a good win for our ballclub. Anytime you can get a win on the road against a Sun Belt team, it's a good win. It's impressive to get through a season with only two non-conference losses. I am really pleased with our guys staying locked in during the non-conference games all year. It's a big weekend ahead so we will have a light practice tomorrow and we will get back at it on Thursday. I look forward to heading to Raleigh to finish the regular season up."
On Deck
Wake Forest concludes the 2022 regular season with a three-game ACC series against NC State inside Doak Field on Thursday, May 19-Saturday, May 21.
The first two games of the series are set for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch before the teams hit the diamond at 1 p.m. in the series finale.
The trio of conference games will be available on ACC Network Extra.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Keener, Seth (5-1)
L: LaSpaluto, Grey (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 1 ; Turconi, Michael 2 ; Wilken, Brock 1
HR: Bennett, Pierce 1 ; Turconi, Michael 1 ; Tinsman, Brendan 1 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Cecere, Adam 1
RBI: Costello, Lucas 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 3 ; Turconi, Michael 6 ; Tinsman, Brendan 1 ; Wilken, Brock 2 ; Cecere, Adam 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Hawke, Tommy 2 ; Costello, Lucas 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 4 ; Turconi, Michael 1 ; Broderick, James 1 ; Tinsman, Brendan 1 ; Sehgal, Zach 2 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Cecere, Adam 2 ; Reinisch, Jake 2 ; Corona, Danny 1
SB: Bennett, Pierce 1 ; Corona, Danny 1
Batting:
HR: Drumheller, Luke 1 ; Greckel, Andrew 1
RBI: Drumheller, Luke 1 ; Greckel, Andrew 1 ; Williams, Dalton 1
SF: Williams, Dalton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Drumheller, Luke 1 ; Greckel, Andrew 2 ; Kaloudis, Vasili 1
SB: Terrell, Andrew 1 ; Greckel, Andrew 1
HBP: Rogers, Dylan 1 ; Kaloudis, Vasili 1
