Wake Forest University
27-4, 11-2
NC State
20-10, 5-8
No. 2 Wake Forest Sweeps NC State with Perfect Sunday
4/9/2023 7:47:00 PM | Baseball
The Demon Deacons have now won eight-straight conference contests and its last five regular season games against its Big Four rival. Highlighted by its five conference series wins, Wake Forest leads the ACC in conference victories.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The No. 2 Wake Forest baseball team swept its third-straight Atlantic Coast Conference series, taking two games from Big Four rival NC State on Sunday inside David F. Couch Ballpark.
The Demon Deacons (28-4, 12-2 ACC) have now won eight-straight conference contests and its last five regular season games against its Big Four rival. Highlighted by its five conference series wins, Wake Forest leads the ACC in conference victories.
Wake Forest's 12-2 mark in conference play is the program's best start against ACC foes in head coach Tom Walter's tenure. The Demon Deacons are +36 in run differential through the first five series, outscoring opponents 80-44 in 14 games.
After taking two out of three against Duke and Notre Dame, Wake Forest has posted three-straight perfect weekends against Miami (first time ever), Clemson (first time since 2012) and NC State (second-straight season).
Over the last two seasons, Wake Forest has compiled a 47-8-1 record inside David F. Couch Ballpark. Overall, the Deacs have outscored opponents, 514-179, at The Couch since last year.
The opening game of Sunday's doubleheader marked Wake Forest's Epilepsy Awareness Game.
Deacon Nation still has the opportunity to bid on special-edition jerseys through GoDeacs.com until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday night. The winner of the auctions will receive the game-worn jersey after the team wears them during an upcoming game.
Wake Forest wore light lavender tops in batting practice and the Demon Deacons will don the light lavender jerseys in-game at a later date. More information will be shared as it becomes known.
All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Epilepsy Alliance of North Carolina. For bidding, please click here.
To learn more about the Epilepsy Alliance of North Carolina visit here.
Game One
Two innings after NC State took hold of a 4-3 lead, Wake Forest loaded the bases in the seventh before Pierce Bennett walked to knot the game at four apiece. The Deacs took the lead later in the same inning as Lucas Costello scored on a passed ball and Brock Wilken reached home safely on a Justin Johnson sacrifice fly.
The Demon Deacons were able to regain the lead thanks to a shutdown performance out of the bullpen from Seth Keener. Kenner pitched four scoreless frames, only allowing one baserunner, to earn his fourth win of the season. The junior from Pilot Mountain, NC continues to have an exceptional 2023 season as he has posted a 0.60 ERA and recorded 41 strikeouts in his 30 innings of work.
Wake Forest closer Camden Minacci entered the game in the ninth, recording his eighth save of the 2023 season which is a career high and the most in the ACC.
Rhett Lowder made his eighth start of the year pitching four complete innings and fanning four Wolfpack hitters.
Game Two
Josh Hartle started the second game of Sunday's doubleheader, beginning his outing by retiring 11 of the first 14 batters he faced with 1-2-3 innings in the second and fourth.
Just as they did in the first game, Wake Forest benefited from runs in the seventh inning to regain the lead. Once again Pierce Bennett provided the Deacs with a clutch plate appearance as his RBI-double allowed Lucas Costello to score and put Wake Forest back in front. A dropped pop-up scored two more runs in the frame as Wake Forest entered the final two innings of the game with a 6-3 advantage.
Sean Sullivan took over for Hartle in the fifth and, much like Keener, provided the Deacs with much-needed length out of the bullpen. Sullivan earned his fifth win of the season by holding NC State scoreless through 4.2 innings of work while striking out eight and only allowing two baserunners in Sunday's action.
How It Happened (Game One)
- Rhett Lowder stranded two Wolfpack baserunners in the first with a strikeout and lineout for a scoreless inning to open his start.
- Wake Forest found the scoreboard first as Pierce Bennett notched a two-out RBI-single to score Lucas Costello, who walked and stole second.
- NC State tied the game in the top of the second with an RBI-single to left field.
- Lowder retired the first two NC State batters with pop ups. A Wolfpack batter reached base with a single before advancing to third after a stolen base and throwing error. The run was unearned.
- Danny Corona (double) and Marek Houston (walk) reached base in the bottom of the inning, but a groundout stranded the pair as the game remained tied.
- Lowder notched an inning-ending strikeout to strand a pair in the top of the third as the game remained tied.
- After the Deacs were retired in order to end the third, Lowder punched out back-to-back batters to once again strand two base runners and keep the game tied at one.
- Wake Forest regained the lead (3-1) in the bottom of the fourth, pushing across two runs thanks to an RBI-single from Bennett Lee and sacrifice fly from Houston.
- Justin Johnson led off the inning with a single up the middle and Jake Reinisch walked before Corona laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the pair into scoring position.
- Lee's single with one out scored Johnson before Reinsich was plated on Houston's deep fly ball to right field.
- Tommy Hawke also notched an infield single to keep the inning alive, but a strikeout ended the frame.
- NC State answered back with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth to take its first lead of the game (4-3).
- Seth Keener ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.
- Keener returned in the top of the sixth and tossed a hitless frame, highlighted by a 3-6-1 double play for the opening outs.
- The righthander once again kept the Wolfpack off the scoreboard with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, retiring NC State in order with two fly outs and a strikeout.
- Wake Forest regained the lead (6-4) in the bottom of the seventh, pushing across three runs after loading the bases with one out.
- Singles from Houston and Costello followed by a walk to Brock Wilken loaded the bases with one out. Bennett drew a walk to score Houston before Costello dove head first to home on a passed ball in the dirt to give Wake Forest a 5-4 lead.
- Johnson lasered a deep fly ball to left center field to score Wilken and extended the Demon Deacon advantage to two.
- Keener once again retired the Wolfpack in order to open the eighth with a fly out, strikeout and groundout.
- Bennett Lee fired a single to left field, but was picked off for the second out of the inning before a strikeout ended Wake Forest's final offensive opportunity.
- Camden Minacci slammed the door in the ninth, clinching the 6-4 victory and claiming his eighth save of the season.
How It Happened (Game Two)
- Josh Hartle struckout a Wolfpack batter before inducing an inning-ending double play back to the pitcher's mound for a scoreless top of the first.
- Brock Wilken notched a two-out walk, but a deep fly ball driven to the warning track ended the inning.
- Hartle notched another scoreless frame to open his start in the second, retiring the Wolfpack in order with a strikeout and back-to-back groundouts.
- Justin Johnson led off the bottom of the inning with a single up the middle, but the next three Deacs were retired as the game remained scoreless after two full frames.
- Hartle fanned the opening batter of the inning and forced a fly out to center field before working around a base hit with an inning-ending groundout for his third-straight scoreless inning.
- Wake Forest pushed across three runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to a Pierce Bennett RBI-single, a passed ball and a wild pitch.
- The Deacs loaded the bases with one out as Tommy Hawke singled, Lucas Costello walked and Brock Wilken was hit by a pitch. Hawke scored on Bennett's run-scoring knock before Costello and Wilken scored on pitches that went past the catcher.
- Hartle continued to deal to open the fourth, retiring the Wolfpack in order with a strikeout and back-to-back groundouts for a shutdown inning.
- Marek Houston notched a two-out single up the middle before stealing second, but a pop up stranded the freshman and kept Wake Forest's lead at three after four.
- NC State tied the game at three in the top of the fifth.
- Sean Sullivan took over on the mound with one out and the bases loaded. The left hander proceeded to induce a pop up before fanning a batter to end the inning and keep the game knotted at three.
- With two outs, Wake Forest regained a three-run lead (6-3) in the bottom of the seventh courtesy of a Pierce Bennett RBI-single and a dropped pop fly that allowed a pair of Deacs to score.
- Costello singled before Wilken walked. Bennett's two-bagger plated Costello and moved Wilken to third.
- NC State dropped a high pop up in shallow and allowed both Wilken and Bennett to score.
- Sullivan recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth as the Wolfpack were set down via a lineout, pop-out and strikeout.
- After the Wake Forest offense was set down in order in the bottom of the eighth, Sullivan secured the perfect Sunday in the ninth.
- After allowing two baserunners to reach via a walk and a base hit, the game concluded with a line-drive hit to Marek Houston who flipped to Justin Johnson for a game-ending double-play.
Words from Walter
"Great all around day of baseball for the Deacs and for a really great cause – The Epilepsy Association of North Carolina. To support something like that, having Marc Palmieri here to throw out the first pitch and raise almost $15,000 while getting two wins is a special day.
"I'm proud of our guys and the way we battled. We had some things go against us especially in the second game. We had a couple balls fall and all of the sudden cruising in a 3-0 game, suddenly becomes 3-3. But, give credit to our guys. Lucas Costello had a two-out single, Brock Wilken worked a walk and Pierce Bennett doubled and the next thing you know we are up 6-3.
"The difference in both games was our bullpen. Seth Keener threw four shutout innings and Sean Sullivan threw 4.2. Sullivan came in with the bases loaded and one out and was able to get a big pop-up and a strikeout, put it on cruise control from there and did what he has done for us all year which is throw the baseball really well.
"I felt like we did not have a great day offensively but we did enough to win and Sullivan and Keener were the difference."
Standout Stats
The Demon Deacons have now won eight-straight conference contests and its last five regular season games against its Big Four rival. Highlighted by its five conference series wins, Wake Forest leads the ACC in conference wins.
Wake Forest's 12-2 mark in conference play is the program's best start against ACC foes in head coach Tom Walter's tenure. The Demon Deacons are +36 in run differential through the first five series, outscoring opponents 80-44 in 14 games.
After taking two out of three against Duke and Notre Dame, Wake Forest has posted three-straight perfect weekends against Miami (first time ever), Clemson (first time since 2012) and NC State (second-straight season).
Over the last two seasons, Wake Forest has compiled a 47-8-1 record inside David F. Couch Ballpark. Overall, the Deacs have outscored opponents, 514-179, at The Couch since last year.
Wake Forest has outscored opponents by double-digits in eight innings this season.
Wake Forest Scoring Summary by Inning (Wake Forest-Opponent)
- First Inning: 58-9
- Second Inning: 26-11
- Third Inning: 42-12
- Fourth Inning: 44-11
- Fifth Inning: 45-20
- Sixth Inning: 22-5
- Seventh Inning: 26-6
- Eighth Inning: 28-15
- Ninth Inning: 5-8
Overall, the Deacs are outscoring opponents by a 296-97 mark in 2023.
Much of Wake Forest's success has been fast starts as the Deacs have outscored opponents by a mark of 126-32 in the opening three innings.
Wake Forest has scored in the first inning in 20 games this season, posting a 18-2 record in those games. Additionally, the Deacs are 20-2 when they score first.
In The Spotlight
Wake Forest was propelled by excellent bullpen appearances by Seth Keener and Sean Sullivan on Sunday.
Keener pitched four scoreless frames, only allowing one baserunner, to earn his fourth win of the season.
The junior from Pilot Mountain, NC continues to have an exceptional 2023 season as he has posted a 0.60 ERA and recorded 41 strikeouts in his 30 innings of work.
Sullivan has made an immediate impact in the Old Gold and Black, registering a 1.56 ERA in 40.1 innings to go along with team-best 71 strikeouts, seven earned runs and nine walks allowed. Additionally, opponents are batting just .138 against the lefthander.
Sullivan was the conference leader in hits-per-nine innings, strikeouts-per-nine innings and WHIP, while ranking in the top 10 in ERA, strikeout-to-walk ratio and victories coming into the weekend.
On Sunday, Sullivan made his second appearance out of Wake Forest's bullpen, tossing a scoreless 4.2 innings, striking out eight batters, and only allowing two baserunners.
Against NC State, Sullivan and Keener combined to throw 8.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and three base runners total while striking out 12 batters.
Pierce Bennett is on a team-best 15-game hit streak as the redshirt junior has notched a base knock in every contest since Wake Forest's midweek game at Liberty on March 13.
Bennett has posted team-highs in average (.429), hits (24), RBIs (22), doubles (10), two home runs, on-base percentage (.484) and slugging percentage (.714).
On Sunday, Bennett went 4-for-7 with two doubles, four RBIs and one walk to lead Wake Forest at the plate.
A staple out of Wake Forest's bullpen the last two seasons, Camden Minacci earned the eighth save of his junior season after inducing the final three outs of Wake Forest's series-opening victory versus NC State. This mark is also good for the most saves in the ACC.
Over the course of his career, Minacci has registered 16 saves as the Tampa, Fla. native moved into a tie for the fourth-most saves by a Demon Deacon ever. Coming into the weekend, Minacci was 13th among active players in Division I baseball in saves.
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. Camden Minacci 2021-pres. 16
- Ben Hunter 2006-08 16
- Bret Wagner 1992-94 16
- Buddy Jenkins 1987-91 16
On Deck
Wake Forest travels to Boone, N.C. on Tuesday, April 11 to face Appalachian State in a midweek matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+ with a paid subscription.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Keener, Seth (4-0)
L: Sam Highfill (3-1)
S: Minacci, Camden (8)
Batting:
2B: LuJames Groover III 1 ; Jacob Cozart 1
HR: Chase Nixon 1
RBI: Chase Nixon 3 ; Kalae Harrison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LuJames Groover III 1 ; Jacob Cozart 1 ; Chase Nixon 1 ; Carter Trice 1
SB: Parker Nolan 1 ; Carter Trice 1
HBP: Chase Nixon 1
Batting:
2B: Corona, Danny 1
RBI: Bennett, Pierce 2 ; Johnson, Justin 1 ; Lee, Bennett 1 ; Houston, Marek 1
SH: Corona, Danny 1
SF: Johnson, Justin 1 ; Houston, Marek 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Costello, Lucas 2 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Johnson, Justin 1 ; Reinisch, Jake 1 ; Houston, Marek 1
SB: Costello, Lucas 1
PO: Lee, Bennett 1
