No. 2 Wake Forest Moves to 11-0 for Second-Straight Season; Earns Decisive Win Over Purdue Fort Wayne

Friday, March 3

Winston-Salem, N.C.

1:30 p.m.

Wake Forest University

11-0

Purdue Fort Wayne

1-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Purdue Fort Wayne	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	1
Wake Forest	2	0	3	3	0	2	1	0	X	11	8	0

No. 2 Wake Forest Moves to 11-0 for Second-Straight Season; Earns Decisive Win Over Purdue Fort Wayne

3/3/2023 5:24:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Another scoreless outing from Rhett Lowder and production from the top of the Demon Deacon lineup helped Wake Forest move to 11-0 for the second-straight season.

By: Ryan Sosic and Arik Morton

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Behind massive production from the top of the order and seven strong scoreless innings from Rhett Lowder, the No. 2 Wake Forest baseball team shutout Purdue Fort Wayne, 11-0, on Friday afternoon at David F. Couch Ballpark to remain perfect on the season.

The Deacs have now started 11-0 for the second-straight season. This year's squad is just the fourth team in program history to win its first 11 games. Additionally, this is the first time in program history that teams have started 11-0 or better in back-to-back seasons.

Additionally, Wake Forest is 36-4 against non-ACC competition over the last two seasons, outscoring opponents 402-135 in those games.

The Deacs continued to use all-around team performances to fuel its perfect start, outscoring opponents 141-20 to open the new campaign. Wake Forest is batting .359 as a team and holds a team ERA of just 1.58 with 147 strikeouts and 21 walks in 11 games.

Through the first 11 games last year, Wake Forest outscored opponents 134-35.

Coming into weekend competition, the Demon Deacon pitching staff led the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio and the ACC in WHIP, ERA, hits per nine and strikeouts per nine.

Overall, Wake Forest has fanned double-digit batters in eight games and have averaged 13.4 strikeouts per game this season while walking just 1.9 batters per game.

Wake Forest's offense has been on a tear to open the new season as the Deacs led the nation in walks, hits, on-base percentage, scoring and runs per game prior to the weekend slate. Additionally, Wake Forest was the conference leader in home runs, batting average and slugging percentage.

Lowder earned the third win of his junior season as the Reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year tossed seven scoreless frames while striking out eight Mastodon batters. This marks the fifth career scoreless outing from the Wake Forest righthander.

Highlighted by zeroes in his last two outings, Lowder has now totaled a 0.47 ERA through 19 innings to go along with 26 strikeouts, 11 hits, two walks and one earned run conceded this season.

Zach Johnston and Ben Shenosky completed the shutout, retiring the side in order in the eighth and ninth, respectively.

Wake Forest's offensive production was a result of consistent output from the top of their order. Tommy Hawke, Pierce Bennett, Nick Kurtz and Brock Wilken combined for 10 runs scored, six hits, five walks, seven RBIs and two home runs.

Hawke and Bennett reached home safely in the bottom of the first courtesy of a Brock Wilken sacrifice fly and a balk, pushing the Demon Deacons ahead 2-0.

Two innings later, Hawke, Bennett and Kurtz loaded the bases for the second time of the contest. Once again, Wilken was able to drive in Hawke as he singled through the left side. Bennett and Kurtz also scored in the inning, increasing the Wake Forest lead to 5-0 after three full innings of play.

After walking for the third time in the game, Hawke scored on a scorching RBI-double by Kurtz in the bottom of the fourth. The very next hitter, Wilken, launched his eighth homerun of the 2023 campaign, and 48th of his Wake Forest career, to extend the Deacs' lead to 8-0.

Kurtz sent a hard-hit ball over the right field fence in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring Hawke and pushing Wake Forest's lead to double digits (10-0).

The Deacs finalized its scoring in the seventh courtesy of doubles by Adam Cecere and Danny Corona to post Wake Forest's seventh double-digit scoring performance of the season.

How It Happened

Rhett Lowder opened his third start of the season with a perfect three-up, three-down frame with a pair of groundouts and his first punchout.
Wake Forest took a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Brock Wilken and balk.
- The first three Deacs reached safely to open the game as Tommy Hawke walked, Pierce Bennett singled and Nick Kurtz got on base thanks to a fielding error.
- Wilken's 18th RBI of the season scored Hawke before Bennett was plated on a balk by Purdue Fort Wayne's pitcher.
- A strikeout and lineout to third base ended the frame and stranded Kurtz at second.
Lowder stranded a pair of Mastodons with an inning-ending groundout after Purdue Fort Wayne tallied its first base hits of the day.
- The Albemarle, N.C. native fanned his second batter of the game for the second out of the frame.
After the Deacs were set down in order to end the second, Lowder notched his third-straight zero after working around a leadoff single and stolen base with a flyout, strikeout and groundout.
The Deacs increased its lead to 5-0 with three runs on an RBI-single from Wilken as well as a pitch clock violation and double play with the bases loaded.
- The top three batters of Wake Forest's order once again reached base to load the bases for the second time of the game. Wilken fired a base hit to left to score Hawke for the second time of the contest for the Deacs' first run of the inning.
Lowder worked his second 1-2-3 inning in the fourth, highlighted by his fourth strikeout of his outing as Wake Forest held onto its 5-0 lead.
The Deacs tacked on three more runs for the second-straight inning in the bottom half, increasing its lead to 8-0, as Nick Kurtz found the right center field gap for an RBI-double before coming home on a Wilken two-run homer to left field.
- Hawke opened the frame with his third walk of the game and scored his third run of the game on Kurtz's 12th RBI of the year.
Lowder continued to deal in the fifth, tossing his third three-up, three-down frame with a popout, flyout and strikeout, his fifth of the game.
Wake Forest was kept off the scoreboard to end the fifth as a Demon Deacon was picked off at first to end the inning.
Lowder worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth with back-to-back punchouts, increasing his game total to eight, to keep Purdue Fort Wayne scoreless.
A two-run laser over the right field wall from Kurtz extended the Demon Deacon advantage to 10-0 through six full innings.
- Hawke notched a one-out single and was plated on Kurtz's fifth long fly of the season, his fourth run of the game.
Lowder ended his start with another scoreless frame, working around a two-out single with a soft popup to Corona at second.
Two doubles in the bottom half extended Wake Forest's lead to 11-0.
- Adam Cecere just missed a home run and safely reached second base with a leadoff double. After a ground ball double play moved Cecere to third, Corona roped another double to right field to score Cecere.
Zach Johnston took over on the mound and tossed a 1-2-3 inning on just 10 pitches.
- Johnston induced a groundout to open the frame before punching out a Purdue Fort Wayne batter. Another groundout ended the inning.
After Wake Forest was held scoreless to end the eighth, Ben Shenosky pitched the final frame for the Demon Deacons, retiring the Purdue Fort Wayne hitters in order to secure the shutout win.
- The final three hitters of the game were retired via two ground outs and a popout.

Words From Walter
"I do not think Rhett Lowder had his good stuff today but he battled and did what we needed him to do. Anytime you get seven shutout innings out of your starter you are always happy. Eight strikeouts. No walks. So, even though he did not have his best stuff, I felt like he made pitches when he needed to. I was really happy with how Zach Johnston and Ben Shenosky threw the ball. Two freshmen arms that have bright futures here in the program. It was good to see them go out there and go six-up and six-down to end the game."

"Offensively, again, I thought we were a little flat today. Maybe the schedule change, the weather, spring break, guys are having their last classes before break. The top of the order got it done. Tommy Hawke was on base four times today. Nick Kurtz and Brock Wilken had good days. When those three guys are rolling, you are going to usually find ways to score runs. We will take wins any way we can get them, but we are certainly going to need to play better baseball tomorrow against a good Ball State team that has a good righthander going."

Standout Stat
The Deacs moved to 11-0 for the second-straight season. This year's squad is just the fourth team in program history to win its first 11 games. Additionally, this is the first time in program history that teams have started 11-0 or better in back-to-back seasons.

Best Starts in Program History:
- 11-0: 2023, 2022, 1961, 1949
- 12-0: 1949
- 13-0: 1949
- 14-0: 1949
- 15-0: 1949

Wake Forest is 36-4 against non-ACC competition over the last two seasons, outscoring opponents 402-135 in those games.

Through the first 11 games last year, Wake Forest outscored opponents 134-35.

Currently, Wake Forest is the only team in the nation to have already reached 11 victories this season.

Wake Forest has outscored opponents by double digits in six innings this season. The Deacs have only had one offensive opportunity in the ninth against UNC Greensboro on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

Wake Forest Scoring Summary by Inning (Wake Forest-Opponent)
- First Inning: 29-4
- Second Inning: 14-1
- Third Inning: 17-2
- Fourth Inning: 25-1
- Fifth Inning: 23-5
- Sixth Inning: 9-1
- Seventh Inning: 8-1
- Eighth Inning: 15-3
- Ninth Inning: 1-2

In The Spotlight
Reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year Rhett Lowder earned his third win of 2023 and the 18th victory of his career after seven scoreless innings on the mound with eight strikeouts and zero walks allowed today against Purdue Fort Wayne.

Lowder is now just four victories away from entering the top 10 for career wins in program history.

Wake Forest Career Wins

1. John Hendricks (1996-99)- 34

2. Kyle Sleeth (2001-03)- 31

3. Frank Humber (1986-89)- 29

4. Parker Dunshee (2014-17)- 28

5. Scott Siemon (1998-01)- 25

Mike MacDougal (1997-99)- 25

7. Marc Palmieri (1990-93)- 24

8. Eric Schmitt (1997-00)- 23

9. Warren Newton (1978-81)-22

Moe Bauer (1947-50)- 22

– Rhett Lowder (2021-Pres.)- 18

Additionally, Lowder is just 26 strikeouts away from entering the top 10 in career strikeouts.

Dating back to last season, Lowder has allowed three earned runs or less in 18 of his last 19 starts and has gone at least six innings in 13 starts.

Heading into Friday, Lowder ranked in the top 10 of the ACC in ERA, hits per nine, strikeout-walk ratio, strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings and WHIP.

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 eighth home run on Friday, Wilken has launched a long fly in six of Wake Forest's last seven games. The Valrico, Fla. native is now tied with Florida's Jac Caglianone as the nation's home run leader.

After hitting the most home runs by a Demon Deacon in their first two seasons ever, Wilken has hit 48 home runs in his career, which moved the junior into sole possession for the fourth most round-trippers by a Demon Deacon ever and the most among active players in the nation:

Wake Forest Career Home Runs

1. Jamie D'Antona 2001-03 58

2. Jake Austin 1989-92 55

3. Allan Dykstra 2006-08 49

4. Brock Wilken 2021-Pres. 48

5. Chris Kowilcik 1989-92 47

Kevin Bunn 1981-84 47

Brick Smith 1978-81 47

8. Bill Merrifield 1981-83 45

9. Dave Lardieri 1994-97 42

After leading the team with the fourth-highest batting average by a freshman in program history (.380) last year, Tommy Hawke has continued to be impactful at the top of Wake Forest's lineup. Through 11 games, Hawke leads the Deacs with a .524 batting average with a team-best 22 hits.

Dating back to last season, Hawke has a 41-game reached base streak and nine-game hit streak after going 1-for-2 with three walks and four runs scored today against the Mastodons.

On Deck
Wake Forest returns to the diamond on Saturday, March 4 against Ball State. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. and will be broadcasted on live on ACC Network Extra.

Deacon Nation and college baseball fans across the state of North Carolina will have the opportunity to select from various season-ticket packages that include general admission options, reserved chairback seating, as well as multiple premium season ticket options to catch all 33 home contests inside David F. Couch Ballpark. Click here for all the exciting season ticket opportunities.

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