Lowder Becomes First Demon Deacon Named ACC Pitcher of the Year
5/23/2022 9:06:00 AM | Baseball
The sophomore’s 10 wins are tied for an ACC best, while ranking second in ERA (2.45), second in innings pitched (88.0) and third in strikeouts (78). He is the only pitcher in the ACC to rank in the top-three in each category.
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Wake Forest baseball's sophomore Rhett Lowder was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year on Monday morning, the first Demon Deacon to win the award in program history.
Lowder has earned 10 wins, tied for an ACC best, and ranks second in ERA (2.45), second in innings pitched (88.0) and third in strikeouts (78). He is the only hurler in the ACC to rank in the top three of each category.
Additionally, Lowder ranks in the top 10 in WHIP (fifth), walks allowed per nine innings (seventh) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (eighth).
In conference play, Lowder holds the lowest ERA (2.60) and has pitched the most innings (65.2) in addition to the second-most victories (six).
Lowder is just one of 10 Demon Deacon pitchers to ever reach double-digit victories in a season. The Albemarle, N.C. native started the season a perfect 5-0, highlighted by conference wins in the series opener against nationally-ranked Florida State and nationally-ranked Georgia Tech.
In 10 of his 14 starts this season, Lowder has pitched at least six innings while allowing no more than three earned runs in any appearance. Additionally, Lowder has walked one or less batters in nine starts.
Lowder matched his career-high of 11 punchouts three times this season (NJIT, Clemson and Louisville).
In his career, Lowder holds a 14-5 record with a 4.05 ERA in 155.2 innings. The sophomore has fanned 172 batters compared to allowing just 41 walks.
Start-by-Start Breakdown
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vs. Lafayette (Feb. 18)
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Lowder started out his sophomore season strong, claiming his first victory of the season, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out six Leopard batters.
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vs. NJIT (Feb. 25)
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Lowder retired nine-straight batters over the course of the second, third, fourth and fifth innings to earn the second win of his sophomore season.
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In the third and fourth frames, the Albemarle, N.C. native tossed consecutive three up, three down frames with four-consecutive strikeouts.
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The Deacs moved to 5-0 for the first time since the 2009 season as Wake Forest has outscored their opponents 79-16 to open the new campaign.
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vs. UMass Lowell (March 4)
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Lowder set the tone with another strong Friday performance on the mound, improving to a perfect 3-0 on the season with eight strikeouts in six innings.
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The Albemarle, N.C. native retired the first five batters to open the game and kept UMass Lowell hitless until the top of the sixth inning. Overall, Lowder allowed just three hits and a pair of runs while walking just two batters.
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The Deacs improved to 10-0 with the win, the first time since 1964 Wake Forest has won 10 games in a row to start off a season. Additionally, it marked the longest winning streak overall since the Deacs won 15 in a row during the 2012 season.
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vs. Florida State (March 11)
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Wake Forest won their ACC opener on March 11 as Lowder remained perfect on the season (4-0). His 6.0 innings pitched mark the third-consecutive game he has gone through the sixth inning. He fanned four batters, allowing just two earned runs.
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vs. Georgia Tech (March 18)
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Lowder moved to a perfect 5-0 on the season, tossing five innings with five strikeouts while allowing just two earned runs.
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vs. Virginia (March 25)
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Lowder made his sixth start of the season, striking out six batters and allowing three earned runs in 5.2 innings.
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The right hander punched out a pair of batters in both the second and third innings.
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at Boston College (April 1)
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Lowder reeled in the sixth victory of his sophomore campaign, tossing six innings and striking out seven batters. The sophomore walked just one batter and gave up zero earned runs.
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vs. Duke (April 8)
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Lowder started strong, retiring the first 10 batters he faced to earn his seventh win of the season. The righthander tossed seven innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out three and walking no one.
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Wake Forest swept Duke for the first time since 2008.
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vs. Clemson (April 15)
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Lowder posted the best start of his Demon Deacon career up to this point of the season, tossing a career-high eight scoreless innings with a career-high tying 11 strikeouts.
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Lowder allowed a season-low tying three hits across his career-long day while walking one batter.
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The Albemarle, N.C. native retired the side in order in the first, fourth, seventh and eighth innings.
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at Notre Dame (April 22)
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Lowder made his 10th start of the season, tossing six innings with four strikeouts and no walks. The Albemarle, N.C. native allowed just three earned runs and five hits.
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vs. Longwood (April 30)
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Lowder earned his eighth win of the season, tossing five innings with six strikeouts while allowing two runs and no walks in Wake Forest's seven-inning win over the Lancers.
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Lowder tossed a 1-2-3 fourth inning while facing more than four batters in just one frame.
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vs. Louisville (May 7)
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Lowder earned his ninth win of the season against the nationally-ranked Cardinals. The sophomore tossed six innings, allowing just two earned runs to the third-highest scoring offense in the nation.
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Lowder's first strikeout of the game in the first inning marked his 150th career strikeout. Overall, Lowder matched his career-high of 11 punchouts for the third time this season (NJIT and Clemson), while posting the fourth double-digit strikeout game of his career.
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Lowder was instrumental in holding Louisville to just their sixth game this season with three runs or less.
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at North Carolina (May 13)
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Lowder struck out six batters while allowing one walk in seven innings, holding the Tar Heels scoreless in five frames.
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Marked his seventh-straight start with one walk or less.
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at NC State (May 19)
- Lowder set the tone for Wake Forest's first series sweep in Raleigh ever, throwing a complete-game gem to propel the Demon Deacons to a 8-2 win at NC State on Thursday night.
- Lowder tossed the first complete game by a Demon Deacon since 2017 on just 87 pitches, striking out six batters while allowing just five hits and no walks. Additionally, this makes Lowder one of seven ACC pitchers to go the distance this year.
- The Albemarle, N.C. native started strong, fanning three of the first seven Wolfpack batters he faced and retiring seven straight from the final out of the first inning until the end of the third.
- Lowder threw perfect 1-2-3 innings in the second, third, fifth and ninth while facing more than four NC State batters in just one frame.
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