Wake Forest University
32-13
Liberty
28-15
Wake Forest Sweeps Season Series Against Liberty with Decisive Tuesday Win
5/3/2022 11:26:00 PM | Baseball
The Demon Deacons allowed no runs or hits over the final six innings of game action while scoring the contest’s last eight runs.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest baseball team posted a decisive 10-5 victory over Liberty Tuesday evening at David F. Couch Ballpark.
Wake Forest (32-13, 10-11 ACC) blanked the Flames (28-15, 14-7 A-Sun) over the final six innings and scored the game's last eight runs to increase their non-conference record to 22-2 and sweep the season series against Liberty.
Seth Keener tossed a perfect three-up, three-down fourth inning before Crawford Wade tossed scoreless fifth and sixth innings to move to a perfect 3-0 on the season.
Gabe Golob continued Wake Forest's success on the mound, retiring six of the seven batters he faced.
In the eighth, Golob tossed a perfect 1-2-3 inning before Camden Minacci struck out a pair in the ninth to clinch the victory.
At the plate, Wake Forest walked 12 times, marking the sixth time the Deacs have tallied double-digit walks in a game. In all but one of those contests, Wake Forest has notched double-digit hits, while scoring double-digit runs in four of the six instances.
Michael Turconi led the Deacs with his second two-home run performance in Wake Forest's last three games as the redshirt junior launched a two-run home run to tie the game in the first before blasting a solo shot in the seventh.
Brendan Tinsman extended his hit streak to 15 games with a pair of base knocks, highlighted by an RBI-single that gave Wake Forest their first lead in the fifth.
Pierce Bennett continued to produce with a two-run double in the third. In his last five games, Bennett leads the team with a .778 batting average, 14 hits 12 RBIs and three doubles.
Adam Cecere (ground-rule double), Kyle Joye (groundout), Jake Reinisch (triple) and Danny Corona (sacrifice fly) also drove in runs to help Wake Forest post their fourth-straight double-digit scoring game.
How It Happened
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Liberty took an early 2-0 lead with a two out, two-run single to right field in the top of the first.
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Seth Keener induced a fly out in foul territory on the first pitch of the game.
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Keener forced a fly out to Tommy Hawke in center field to strand a base runner at second.
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Wake Forest responded in the next half inning as Michael Turconi blasted a two-run home run over the right field wall to tie the game at two after one full inning.
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Brock Wilken drew a one-out walk and scored on Turconi's 11th home run of the season.
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Brendan Tinsman singled and advanced to second on a passed ball before Nick Kurtz was walked with two outs. A groundout stranded the pair and ended the first.
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Liberty took back the lead in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly to center field. Keener forced a lineout to the next batter to end the frame.
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A double and groundout pushed Liberty's leadoff hitter to third.
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Jake Reinisch (hit by pitch) and Hawke (walk) reached safely in the bottom of the third, but a pair of strikeouts ended the inning.
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Liberty extended their lead to three (5-2) with a two-run home run in the top of the third. Keener retired back-to-back batters to end the inning, highlighted by a strikeout.
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A two-run double from Pierce Bennett brought Wake Forest within one (5-4) after three frames.
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Adam Cecere and Kurtz scored on Bennett's base hit as the duo walked.
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Keener tossed a perfect three-up, three-down fourth with a pair of fly outs and a ground out.
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Wake Forest tied the game at 5-5 as Kyle Joye tallied an RBI-groundout with the bases loaded.
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Turconi led off the inning with a walk before advancing all the way to third on a failed pickoff attempt.
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Tinsman and Kurtz also walked to juice the bases before Turconi was plated by Joye's 13th RBI of the season.
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Crawford Wade took over on the mound in the top of the fifth and tossed a hitless frame to keep the game tied at five.
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Wake Forest's offense came up clutch in the bottom of the fifth, taking their first lead (7-5) of the game with back-to-back RBI-base hits from Tinsman and Cecere with two outs.
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Danny Corona singled to leadoff the frame before advancing to second following a walk to Hawke. After back-to-back strikeouts, Tinsman fired a base hit up the middle to score Corona.
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Hawke was scored on a ground-rule double by Cecere.
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Kurtz was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but a fielder's choice ended the Demon Deacon scoring threat.
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Wade responded with Wake Forest's third-straight zero in the top of the sixth, working around a one-out walk with a foul out to Kurtz in foul territory before fanning a Liberty batter to end the inning.
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Gabe Golob kept the Flames off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh, retiring the opening two batters before inducing a fly out to end the inning with a base runner on first.
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Tinsman caught a pop up in foul territory for the second out.
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A solo home run from Turconi in the bottom of the seventh extended Wake Forest's lead to three (8-5).
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Golob continued to deal, retiring the Flames in order in the top of the eighth, highlighted by an inning-ending punchout.
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An RBI-triple from Reinisch scored Lucas Costello (single) before a sacrifice fly from Corona brought home the sophomore as Wake Forest increased their lead to 10-5 in the bottom of the eighth.
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Camden Minacci took over in the ninth and fanned a pair of batters to claim the midweek victory, 10-5.
Standout Stat
Wake Forest has been patient at the plate as the Deacs have been walked 278 times, the most in the ACC and the fourth most in the entire nation.
Against Liberty, Wake Forest walked 12 times, marking the sixth time the Deacs have tallied double-digit walks in a game.
In all but one of those contests, Wake Forest has notched double-digit hits, while scoring double-digit runs in four of the six instances.
Opponent Hits Walks Runs
Lafayette 18 13 25
Georgetown 12 13 9
UNCG 21 10 23
George Mason 14 10 14
Georgia Tech 4 11 5
Liberty 11 12 10
Seth Keener, Crawford Wade, Gabe Golob and Camden Minacci combined to blank the Flames over the last six innings of the game to clinch the midweek victory.
Liberty's three base knocks marked the fourth time this season Wake Forest has allowed three hits or less in a game
Wake Forest has done a good job eliminating free passes to the opposition as the Deacs have walked their opponents four times or less in the last five games. Overall this season, the Demon Deacons are +96 in walks compared to their opponents.
Words from Walter
"First and foremost, the lead story of the day was just having Lucas Costello back in there. I am just so proud of that young man for the work he has put in to get to this point. I am just happy and thrilled for him. It was great to have Nick Kurtz back as well. He went out there tonight and had great at-bat after great at-bat. Defensively, he made a good running play over his head, picked a ball and caught a line drive. It is just little things like that make such a big difference when he's in the lineup. I am really happy to have those guys back.
"I am really happy to have Cam back throwing the ball well. Our bullpen was phenomenal today. Wade, two shutout innings. Gabe, two shutout innings. Cam Minacci, a shutout ninth. When you get five scoreless out of your bullpen, you're going to have a good chance to win most days. Seth struggled a bit early but got us a big zero in the fourth. In a tight game, he came out and got us three more outs in a big situation and allowed us to shorten our bullpen, which was huge. Offensively, we did a great job all game grinding at-bats, getting deep in counts and putting a ton of pitches on their starter. We also put a ton of pitches on their best reliever, Fluharty, who is really good. When you score 10 runs against that pitching staff, it's pretty impressive. I was very pleased with our energy and offensive approach tonight. It was a good team win. I am proud of the guys."
On Deck
The Demon Deacons continue their homestand as they welcome nationally-ranked Louisville in their final home ACC series of the season on Friday, May 6 to Sunday, May 8.
On Saturday, May 7, Wake Forest will honor its nine senior and graduate student-athletes for all their contributions to the Demon Deacon baseball team.
The Deacs host High Point on Tuesday, May 10 in their final home game of the 2022 season. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wade, Crawford (3-0)
L: FLUHARTY, Mason (3-2)
Batting:
2B: FOSTER, Cameron 1
HR: HILLIER, Three 1
RBI: HILLIER, Three 2 ; HILL, Stephen 2 ; KEETER, Nathan 1
SF: KEETER, Nathan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ANDERSON, Aaron 2 ; ORNDORFF, Derek 1 ; HILLIER, Three 1 ; FOSTER, Cameron 1
HBP: BETTS, Gray 1 ; ANDERSON, Aaron 1 ; ORNDORFF, Derek 1
Batting:
2B: Cecere, Adam 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 1
3B: Reinisch, Jake 1
HR: Turconi, Michael 2
RBI: Turconi, Michael 3 ; Tinsman, Brendan 1 ; Cecere, Adam 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 2 ; Joye, Kyle 1 ; Reinisch, Jake 1 ; Corona, Danny 1
SF: Corona, Danny 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Turconi, Michael 3 ; Cecere, Adam 1 ; Kurtz, Nick 1 ; Costello, Lucas 1 ; Ray, Will 1 ; Corona, Danny 1
HBP: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Kurtz, Nick 1 ; Reinisch, Jake 1
PO: Wilken, Brock 1
