Wake Forest University
23-3
High Point
7-16
No. 2 Wake Forest Wins Fifth-Straight Game; Defeats High Point, 12-3
3/28/2023 9:13:00 PM | Baseball
The Deacs hit three home runs and scored multiple runs in four different innings while getting another strong midweek start from Reed Mascolo and three scoreless innings from three relievers.
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The No. 2 Wake Forest baseball team extended its win streak to five games on Tuesday, defeating High Point, 12-3, inside Williard Stadium.
The Demon Deacons (23-3, 7-2 ACC) are outscoring opponents by a mark of 51-5 over its current win streak as Wake Forest has held every opponent under three runs, highlighted by two shutouts, and produced double-digit runs in three contests.
In addition to its winning record in conference play over the last two seasons, Wake Forest has found success in non-conference competition. Dating back to last year, the Deacs hold a 41-5 record against non-ACC teams. Wake Forest has outscored opponents 474-163 in those games.
To open the 2023 season, the Deacs have scored over 10 runs in 12 of its first 17 non-ACC matchups, while holding opponents to three runs or less in 13 non-conference contests thus far in 2023.
Wake Forest got another stellar midweek start from Reed Mascolo as the righthander moved to 5-0 on the season, tossing six innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Mascolo finished his start strong, tossing back-to-back scoreless frames to keep Wake Forest's lead at 9-3.
Chase Walter, Derek Crum and Joe Ariola each tossed a scoreless frame on the mound in relief, combining to strike out four batters while allowing no hits.
Walter fanned back-to-back batters in a three-up, three-down seventh before Crum retired the Panthers in order with a strikeout and two groundouts. Ariola punched out Wake Forest's eighth batter in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the midweek victory.
As a pitching staff, Wake Forest walked just one High Point batter.
Offensively, Wake Forest plated multiple runs in the four innings while nine Demon Deacons notched a base hit. Brock Wilken, Kyle Joye and Pierce Bennett all launched solo home runs in the victory.
Tommy Hawke joined Bennett with a team-high three RBIs, while Wilken also drove in multiple runs.
Both Wilken and Nick Kurtz led the way with three walks as Wake Forest notched its sixth game with double-digit walks this season.
How It Happened
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The Deacs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Wake Forest loaded the bases with a trio of walks and a single from Justin Johnson. The Deacs plated another run with a double play with the bases loaded.
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Tommy Hawke led off the game with a five-pitch walk before Johnson ripped a single to left field. Nick Kurtz drew a base-on-balls to load the bases before Brock Wilken notched an RBI on his free pass.
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High Point's leadoff hitter notched a solo home run to right center field to trim Wake Forest's lead to 2-1. Reed Mascolo responded by retiring the next three batters with a trio of groundouts to end the first.
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The Deacs pushed its lead back to two (3-1) in the top of the second as Hawke picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice with runners on the corners.
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Mascolo tossed a shutdown inning in the second, inducing a pop up, fly out and groundout.
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The Deacs increased their lead to 6-1 after three runs in the top of the third, highlighted by solo home runs from Brock Wilken and Kyle Joye.
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After Wilken's 14th long fly of the season, Bennett laid down a bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error. A few pitches later, the redshirt junior scored on a wild pitch.
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After Mascolo fanned the opening two batters of the bottom of the third, a High Point solo home run trimmed Wake Forest's lead to 6-2. Mascolo induced an inning-ending pop up to end the frame.
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The Panthers added another home run in the bottom of the fourth, making it a three-run ballgame. After a single, Mascolo retired three-straight batters, highlighted by an inning-ending strikeout, to strand the Panther base runner.
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The Deacs responded in the top of the fifth, pushing its lead to 9-3, its largest of the game, with a solo home run from Bennett and a two-RBI double from Hawke.
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After Bennett's lead-off homer, Cueto (walk) and Marek Houston (single) reached safely with two outs. Hawke's team-leading 11th two-bagger of the season plated the pair to increase Wake Forest's advantage to six.
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Mascolo notched a shutdown frame to end the fifth, working around a one-out single with a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play.
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After the Deacs were kept off the scoreboard in the top of the sixth, Mascolo produced another scoreless frame with a groundout, strikeout and groundout as Wake Forest's lead remained at 9-3.
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Chase Walter tossed a scoreless bottom of the seventh, striking out back-to-back batters in a three-up, three-down frame.
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Wake Forest added to its lead (11-3) thanks to RBI-singles from Bennett and Jake Reinisch in the top of the eighth.
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Kurtz led off the inning with a single to right field before Wilken doubled to the left center field gap. Bennett pushed one through the left side before Reinisch notched a base-scoring pinch hit to left field.
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Derek Crum continued the momentum on the mound with a three-up, three-down frame to end the eighth with a strikeout and two groundouts.
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Another bases-loaded walk drawn by Bennett with two outs increased Wake Forest's lead to 12-3 in the top of the ninth.
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After the first two batters were retired to open the ninth, Johnson, Kurtz, Wilken and Bennett all walked consecutively.
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Joe Ariola slammed the door in the ninth, striking out the final batter of the game to clinch the 12-3 victory.
Words from Walter
"Another good midweek win. Reed Mascolo was sharp. It was key that he gave us six strong innings and we were able to spread the lead a little bit so we didn't have to burn Roland, Massey or Minacci in a short week coming into a Thursday, Friday and Saturday series. Give credit to Reed and our offense for making sure that happened. The three guys behind Reed – Chase, Derek and Joe – all threw the ball well. I was pleased with our pitching staff today and it was a good win"
Standout Stats
In addition to its winning record in conference play over the last two seasons, Wake Forest has found success in non-conference competition.
Dating back to last year, the Deacs hold a 41-5 record against non-ACC teams. Wake Forest has outscored opponents 474-163 in those games.
To open the 2023 season, Wake Forest has scored over 10 runs in 12 of its first 17 non-ACC matchups, while holding opponents to three runs or less in 13 contests thus far in 2023.
Wake Forest has outscored opponents by double-digits in eight innings this season.
Wake Forest Scoring Summary by Inning (Wake Forest-Opponent)
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First Inning: 51-9
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Second Inning: 26-10
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Third Inning: 39-11
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Fourth Inning: 36-8
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Fifth Inning: 44-10
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Sixth Inning: 21-2
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Seventh Inning: 19-6
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Eighth Inning: 24-13
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Ninth Inning: 3-5
Overall, the Deacs are outscoring opponents by a 263-74 mark.
Wake Forest has scored in the first inning in 16 games this season, posting a 15-1 record in those games. Additionally, the Deacs are 16-1 when they score first.
Wake Forest has been patient at the plate as the Deacs have been walked 172 times, the most in the ACC.
| Opponent | Hits | Walks | Runs |
| Youngstown State | 12 | 14 | 18 |
| Cornell | 8 | 11 | 10 |
| Coastal Carolina | 11 | 10 | 11 |
| Liberty | 10 | 10 | 12 |
| Elon | 19 | 10 | 20 |
| High Point | 13 | 12 | 12 |
The Deacs have been walked at least 10 times in six games this season. In all of those contests, Wake Forest has scored double-digit runs, while notching double-digit hits five times.
In the Spotlight
Reed Mascolo has made impactful starts during midweek competition over his three seasons in a Demon Deacon uniform as Wake Forest has amassed a 16-3 record in games he has started. The redshirt junior has given up less than two earned runs in 12 of those matchups and has struckout at least three batters in each of those 13 outings.
Wake Forest got another strong midweek start from Mascolo on Tuesday as the righthander moved to 5-0 on the season, tossing six innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Mascolo finished his start strong, tossing back-to-back scoreless frames to keep Wake Forest's lead at 9-3.
After setting career highs in hits (69). home runs (23), RBIs (77) and doubles (13) in 2022, Brock Wilken looks to cement himself as one of the best hitters in Wake Forest history this season.
With his 14th home run of the season on Tuesday night, Wilken leads the ACC in long flies (tied for third in the nation) and has hit the most career long flies among active players in Division I baseball.
After hitting the most home runs by a Demon Deacon in their first two seasons ever, Wilken has hit 54 home runs in his career, which is the third-most by a Demon Deacon ever as the Valrico, Fla. native is just five home runs away from breaking the program record.
Wake Forest Career Home Runs
1. Jamie D'Antona 2001-03 58
2. Jake Austin 1989-92 55
3. Brock Wilken 2021-Pres. 54
On Deck
Wake Forest travels to Clemson, S.C. for its fourth ACC series of the season on Thursday, March 30-Saturday, April 1.
The series opener is scheduled for a 7 p.m. first pitch on Thursday, March 30 on ACC Network.
Game two will be Friday, March 31 at 6 p.m. before finishing off the series on Saturday, April 1 at 2 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mascolo, Reed (5-0)
L: SMITH, Connor (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Cueto, Gio 1
HR: Wilken, Brock 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 1 ; Joye, Kyle 1
RBI: Hawke, Tommy 3 ; Wilken, Brock 2 ; Bennett, Pierce 3 ; Reinisch, Jake 1 ; Joye, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Johnson, Justin 2 ; Kurtz, Nick 1 ; Wilken, Brock 2 ; Bennett, Pierce 2 ; Joye, Kyle 2 ; Cueto, Gio 1 ; Houston, Marek 1
SB: Hawke, Tommy 1
HBP: Joye, Kyle 1
Batting:
2B: CHATHAM, Cael 1
HR: AHALT, Brett 1 ; KLINGLER, Charlie 1 ; CHATHAM, Cael 1
RBI: AHALT, Brett 1 ; KLINGLER, Charlie 1 ; CHATHAM, Cael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: AHALT, Brett 1 ; KLINGLER, Charlie 1 ; CHATHAM, Cael 1
HBP: POKORAK, jACK 1
