Wake Forest University
14-2, 1-1
Duke
10-5, 1-1
No. 2 Demon Deacons Earn First ACC Series Victory at Duke
3/11/2023 9:09:00 PM | Baseball
Wake Forest opened conference play with a series win as well as its eighth series victory over Duke in head coach Tom Walter’s tenure.
DURHAM, N.C. – The No. 2 Wake Forest baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader against Duke at Durham Bulls Athletic Park to clinch its first Atlantic Coast Conference series victory of the season.
The series win marks the eighth time in head coach Tom Walter's career Wake Forest (15-2, 2-1 ACC) has won an ACC set against its Big Four rival (2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2011, 2010).
The Deacs continued to use all-around team performances through the first 17 games, outscoring opponents 183-57 to open the new campaign. Wake Forest is batting .316 as a team and holds a team ERA of just 2.42 with 227 strikeouts and 42 walks in 17 games.
The Wake Forest pitching staff came into the weekend as the nation's leader in hits per nine, strikeouts per nine and WHIP, while ranking first in the ACC in ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The Demon Deacons have fanned double-digit batters in six-straight games and 14 of its first 17 contests this season. Overall as a staff, the Deacs have averaged 13.4 strikeouts per game this season while averaging just over two walks per game.
Wake Forest's offense has been on a tear to open the new season as the Deacs led the nation in walks and scoring. Additionally, Wake Forest is the ACC leader in runs, hits, home runs and on-base percentage while ranking second in batting average and slugging percentage.
After Duke forced a rubber match with an 8-1 win in the opening game of the twin bill, Wake Forest responded early in the finale, jumping out to a 5-0 lead.
Josh Hartle set the tone on the mound, striking out seven batters and allowing just one hit in four-straight scoreless innings to open his fourth start.
Offensively, back-to-back singles from Adam Cecere and Justin Johnson followed by a throwing error on a fielder's choice, which plated Cecere, got the Deacs on the board in the top of the second.
Wake Forest strung together a big inning in the third, pushing across four runs on three hits, a fielding error and a walk.
Tommy Hawke led off the inning with a base-on-balls before stealing second base. Nick Kurtz followed that up with a single through the right side to put runners on the corners.
A fielding error on a hard hit ball by Brock Wilken plated Hawke before a two-RBI double to right field from Cecere scored Wilken and Kurtz.
Johnson also tallied a run-scoring double to deep center field for the fourth and final run of the frame.
Overall, Hartle pitched 5.2 innings to earn his fourth win of the season. The lefthander allowed just three hits and two earned runs while fanning nine Blue Devil batters.
William Ray, Cole Roland and Camden Minacci hit the mound in relief of Hartle.
After Ray induced a flyout to end the sixth, Roland tossed registered six out, striking out three batters and allowing no baserunners.
Minacci earned his second save of the weekend and fourth of the 2023 season to clinch Wake Forest's 5-3 series finale victory.
Kurtz, Cecere and Johnson led the Deacs at the plate with two hits apiece. Cecere drove in a team-high two runs with his two-bagger in the third.
In the opening game of the day, Cecere also drove in a run in the ninth inning, scoring Wilken (single).
How It Happened (Game One)
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After Wake Forest was retired in order to open the game, Sean Sullivan tossed a hitless first with a pair of strikeouts.
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After conceding a leadoff walk, Sullivan retired the next three batters. The first out of the inning came after a catcher's interference while a Duke base runner was trying to steal second.
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After the Blue Devils ultimately stole second with one out, Sullivan fanned back-to-back batters to end the frame.
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Duke got on the scoreboard first with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the second. Sullivan responded by retiring the next trio of batters with a flyout and two strikeouts.
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Sullivan came back and notched his second scoreless inning in the third, retiring the first two batters of the frame with his fifth strikeout and a groundout. After a fielding error, Sullivan picked up the final out with a sharp line out to Justin Johnson at shortstop.
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The lefthander produced his second-straight zero to end the fourth, retiring the Blue Devils in order with a groundout, strikeout and pop out.
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Johnson reached base on a fielding error for Wake Forest's first base runner in the top of the fifth. A strikeout ended the frame as Duke continued to lead by one.
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Duke extended its lead to 4-0 with three unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth.
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Seth Keener induced the final out of the inning with a flyout to Tommy Hawke in center field.
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Keener responded with a zero to end the sixth, working around a one-out single with a fly out and pop out.
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The junior fanned his first batter of his outing for the opening out.
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Pierce Bennett doubled down the right field line to open up the top of the seventh before Nick Kurtz walked. A hard-hit fly out to deep center field placed runners on the corners with one out. The next two Deacs were retired to end Wake Forest's first scoring chance of the game.
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Duke extended its lead with two runs on four hits and one error in the bottom of the seventh.
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Chase Walter induced the final outs of the frame, striking out a Blue Devil batter before forcing a fly out to get out of a bases-loaded jam.
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Gio Cueto tallied a five-pitch walk with two outs in the top of the eighth, but a strikeout ended the inning.
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Duke added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI-single and RBI-double. Derek Crum induced the final out of the inning with a strikeout.
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A Brock Wilken single and Adam Cecere RBI-double with two outs got Wake Forest on the board in the top of the ninth. A popup ended the inning and gave Duke an 8-1 win in game two of the series.
How It Happened (Game Two)
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After Wake Forest was retired in order to open the game, Josh Hartle threw a scoreless bottom of the first with a pair of strikeouts to open his fourth start of the season.
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The Deacs plated the opening run of the game thanks to back-to-back singles from Adam Cecere and Justin Johnson followed by a throwing error on a fielder's choice, which plated Cecere and gave Wake Forest a 1-0 advantage.
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Hartle recorded a shutdown inning with two more punchouts in the next half to preserve Wake Forest's one-run lead.
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The lefthander stranded a Blue Devil in scoring position again after a leadoff walk and wild pitch. Undaunted, Hartle retired the next trio of batters to end the frame.
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Wake Forest extended its lead to 5-0 with four runs in the top of the third courtesy of three hits, a fielding error and one walk.
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Tommy Hawke led off the inning with a walk before stealing second base. A Nick Kurtz single through the right side put runners on the corners. A fielding error on a hard hit ball by Brock Wilken plated Hawke before a two-RBI double to right field from Cecere scored Wilken and Kurtz.
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Not to be outdone, Justin Johnson also tallied a run-scoring double to deep center field for the fourth and final run of the frame.
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Hartle tossed another shutdown inning to end the third, retiring the Blue Devils in order with two groundouts and his fifth punch out.
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After the Deacs were kept off the scoreboard to open the fourth, Hartle punched out two more batters, increasing his game total to seven, to preserve Wake Forest's five-run lead (5-0).
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Kurtz led off the fifth frame with a two-bagger to left field, his second base knock of the day, but the next three Deacs were retired to end the scoring chance.
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Duke found the scoreboard with a two-run home run to right field, trimming Wake Forest's lead to 5-2 after five full innings.
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Following a bloop infield single after the home run, Hartle struck out a Blue Devil batter and induced an inning-ending groundout.
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Hartle forced the opening two outs in the bottom of the sixth with a fly out and strikeout before Will Ray sat down the first batter he faced, inducing a fly out to Hawke in center field.
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With runners on first and second in the seventh, Cole Roland hit the mound and retired three-straight batters with a strikeout and back-to-back groundouts to strand the Duke baserunners and keep Wake Forest's lead at three (5-2).
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Cecere advanced all the way to third base in the top of the eighth with a leadoff walk, passed ball and wild pitch. A strikeout ended the inning and stranded the redshirt junior.
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Roland tossed a 1-2-3 frame to end the eighth, highlighted by two punchouts, as the Deacs took its 5-2 lead to the final inning.
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Hawke notched a two-out single through the left side to open the ninth, but an infield pop up ended Wake Forest's final offensive opportunity.
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For the second time of the weekend, Camden Minacci came in and slammed the door in the ninth to earn his fourth save of the season and secure Wake Forest's first ACC series of the season.
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An RBI-single with two outs trimmed the Demon Deacon advantage to 5-3. Minacci responded with a first-pitch groundout to clinch the victory.
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Standout Stat
The series win marks the eighth time in head coach Tom Walter's career Wake Forest posted an ACC regular season series victory against Duke (2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2011, 2010).
Since 2010, Wake Forest has outscored Duke, 201-177, in games against its Big Four rival in regular season play.
Wake Forest has outscored opponents by double-digits in six innings this season.
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Wake Forest Scoring Summary by Inning (Wake Forest-Opponent)
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First Inning: 36-7
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Second Inning: 19-9
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Third Inning: 25-7
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Fourth Inning: 30-5
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Fifth Inning: 27-10
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Sixth Inning: 12-1
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Seventh Inning: 15-6
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Eighth Inning: 17-9
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Ninth Inning: 2-3
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In the Spotlight
Josh Hartle earned the fourth win of his sophomore year in the final game of the weekend, pitching 5.2 innings. The lefthander allowed just three hits and two earned runs while fanning nine Blue Devil batters.
Hartle set the tone on the mound, striking out seven batters and allowing just one hit in four-straight scoreless innings to open his fourth start.
Coming into ACC play, Hartle was tied for first in the ACC in strikeouts (31) with teammate Sean Sullivan, second in strikeout-to-walk ratio (31.00) and walks allowed per nine (.50). Hartle was fourth in strikeouts-per-nine (15.50) and fifth in ERA (1.00).
The sophomore has accumulated a 1.52 ERA through 23.2 innings to go along with a team-high 40 strikeouts . The lefthander has allowed just four earned runs and has only walked three batters.
A staple out of Wake Forest's bullpen the last two seasons, Camden Minacci earned his second save of the series and fourth save of his junior season after slamming the door in the ninth inning. Minacci is just two saves away from tying his career high in saves in a single season.
Over the course of his career, Minacci has registered 12 saves as the Tampa, Fla. native moved into a tie for the eighth-most saves in program history.
Most Saves by a Demon Deacon
1. Dave Bush 1999-02 38
2. Michael Dimock 2009-12 19
3. Keith Ksansnak 1983-86 17
4. Ben Hunter 2006-08 16
Bret Wagner 1992-94 16
Buddy Jenkins 1987-91 16
7. Frank Humber 1986-89 15
8. Camden Minacci 2021-pres. 12
Chuck Irving 1976-77 12
Aaron Fossas 2012-16 12
On Deck
A midweek matchup in Lynchburg, Va. against Liberty on Tuesday, March 14 concludes Wake Forest's five-game streak away from Winston-Salem, N.C.
First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ESPN+ with a paid subscription.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Proksch, Owen (2-0)
L: Sullivan, Sean (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Bennett, Pierce 1 ; Cecere, Adam 1
RBI: Cecere, Adam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wilken, Brock 1
Batting:
2B: Beshears, Jay 2 ; Stone, Alex 1 ; Obee, Devin 1
3B: Storm, Luke 1
HR: Fischer, Andrew 1
RBI: Storm, Luke 1 ; Beshears, Jay 3 ; Stone, Alex 1 ; Fischer, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mooney, Alex 2 ; Storm, Luke 3 ; Fischer, Andrew 1 ; Metz, MJ 1 ; Obee, Devin 1
SB: Lux, Damon 1
CS: Obee, Devin 1
