No. 1 Wake Forest Falls in Finale at Florida State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The top-ranked Wake Forest baseball team fell in the ninth inning against Florida State, 4-3, in an ACC series finale on Sunday inside Dick Howser Stadium.

The Demon Deacons (42-8, 20-6 ACC) clinched the program's first Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title since 1963, its ninth ACC series win and set a new program record for ACC victories following its 7-3 win on Saturday over the Seminoles.

With one conference series remaining, the Demon Deacons are +91 in run differential through its nine series wins, outscoring opponents 175-84.

The Deacs struck first on Sunday as Brock Wilken hit a two-run home run, his career-high tying 23rd of the season, in the opening frame.

Wake Forest extended its lead to 3-0 in the sixth thanks to a wild pitch with the bases-loaded.

Florida State tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the seventh and pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the ninth with a two-out RBI-single.

Seth Keener made his fourth start of the season and allowed no runs or hits in his five innings of work. The Pilot Mountain, N.C. native allowed just three base runners and fanned seven batters, his third outing this season with at least seven punchouts.

How It Happened

Wake Forest jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Brock Wilken launched his 23rd home run of the season. Nick Kurtz notched a two-out walk to keep the inning alive and scored on Wilken's long fly.
- Tommy Hawke led off the game with an infield single. Justin Johnson doubled with two outs after Wilken's homer, but a strikeout stranded him.
Seth Keener notched a shutdown inning to open his start, highlighted by a pair of punchouts.
After the Deacs were retired in order in the top of the second, Keener responded with his second zero to maintain Wake Forest's 2-0 advantage.
- Keener induced a pair of groundouts to the opening batters before working around a two-out walk with another groundout to end the inning.
Kurtz reached base for the second time of the game in the top of the third with a two-out single to right, but a strikeout ended the frame.
Keener notched a perfect 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the third, highlighted by back-to-back punchouts to open the frame.
The righthander induced a 5-4-3 double play and an inning-ending groundout for a clean bottom of the fourth as Wake Forest continued to hold a two-run lead.
Keener stranded a Seminole base runner in scoring position with back-to-back strikeouts to end the bottom of the fifth.
- The righthander fanned the opening hitter of the frame before a Florida State batter worked a seven-pitch walk.
- A stolen base and passed ball allowed Florida State to push its first base runner into scoring position. Undaunted, Keener made a Seminole swing and miss for the third and final out.
Wake Forest added a run in the top of the sixth courtesy of a wild pitch with the bases loaded.
- Kurtz singled with one out before Wilken and Johnson tallied walks.
- After the run, a walk to Adam Cecere once again loaded the bases. A groundout ended the frame and scoring opportunity.
Derek Crum took over on the mound in the bottom half of the inning and induced a 4-6-3 double play as well as another groundout to notch a shutdown inning.
Florida State tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Camden Minacci took over on the mound in the bottom of the eighth with one Seminole on base and proceeded to retire the next three batters to end the inning.
Danny Corona led off the top of the ninth with a double to the left center field gap and moved to third after a groundout. A fly out and groundout stranded the sophomore as the game remained tied at three.
Florida State pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI-single with two outs to claim the series finale, 4-3.

Words from Walter
"A disappointing loss. We felt like we had the game right where we wanted it. We had some situational at-bats we didn't cash in on. We couldn't get that insurance run. Walks killed us. Seth Keener had three of those but he managed to be three-for-three on outs after walks. Too many free passes and we weren't able to convert offensively when we had chances."

In The Spotlight
After breaking Wake Forest's career home run record on April 25th with his 60th long fly of his career, Brock Wilken is now chasing the ACC career home run record. With the Valrico, Fla. native's solo shot in the first against the Seminoles, Wilken is now six home runs away from tying the conference record for career homers.

ACC Career Home Run Leaders
1. Anthony Maisano, GaT/WF* (1986-90)- 69
    J.D. Drew, Florida State (1995-97)- 69
3. Brock Wilken, Wake Forest (2021-Pres)- 63
4. Pat Clougherty, NC State (1991-94)- 61

Additionally, the Sunday blast moved Wilken into a tie for the third-most home runs in Wake Forest history (23). This also matched his career high set last season.

Wake Forest Single Season Home Runs
1. Brendan Tinsman 2022 24
    Billy Masse 1988 24
3. Brock Wilken 2023 23
    Brock Wilken 2022 23

On Deck
Wake Forest returns to the diamond in its final road game of the regular season on Tuesday, May 16 against UNC Wilmington.

The Deacs then take on Virginia Tech in its final ACC series of the season on Thursday, May 18-Saturday, May 20.

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Team Stats

Nick Kurtz

Tommy Hawke

Brock Wilken

Justin Johnson

Players Mentioned

Adam Cecere

Danny Corona

Derek Crum

Tommy Hawke

Justin Johnson

Seth Keener

Nick Kurtz

Camden Minacci

Brendan Tinsman

Brock Wilken

Wake Forest Athletics