Clutch Hitting, Bullpen Helps Top-Seeded Wake Forest to 7-5 Victory

DURHAM, N.C. – Behind a clutch bottom of the fifth and stellar bullpen contributions, the top-seeded Wake Forest baseball team defeated eighth-seeded Notre Dame, 7-5, to close out pool play in the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship on Friday night inside Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The No. 1 nationally-ranked Deacs (47-9, 22-7 ACC) claimed its pool and secured a spot in the tournament semifinals on Saturday, May 27 at 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. against fourth-seeded Miami with a 10-2 victory over 12th-seeded Pitt in its first postseason contest on Thursday afternoon.

Additionally, the win helped Wake Forest become the first No. 1 seed to successfully advance out of pool play since the ACC switched to its current championship format in 2017.

After setting program records for regular season wins (45), conference wins (22) and conference series wins (10), the Friday night win helped Demon Deacons tie the program record for total wins (47).

En route to the third win in four tries against the Fighting Irish this season, the top of the order came up with clutch at-bats.

The key point in the game came in the bottom of the fifth with the Deacs trailing, 4-2. Leading off the inning, sophomore Nick Kurtz sent his second home run of the game over right centerfield to cut the deficit in half.

Wake Forest loaded the bases with a hit by pitch and two walks. A wild pitch scored one and then two batters later Hawke legged out a single, scoring the go-ahead run from third. Wake Forest never trailed from that point.

Kurtz came up big at the plate for the Deacs with a pair of home runs to move into a tie for fourth in the single-season rankings, hitting his 26th and 27th Friday night. Overall, he reached base in four-of-five at-bats.

Eight of the nine starters recorded at least one hit and the top four in the order combined for all six RBIs.

After Seth Keener got Wake Forest into the fifth, the Demon Deacons bullpen shined to close out the game. Derek Crum threw a huge 1.2 innings including three strikeouts while Will Ray followed him with his best outing of the season over 1.1 innings.

Cole Roland closed out his second save of the season, getting the final four outs of the game to send the Deacs to the semifinals with a 2-0 mark.

How It Happened

Seth Kenner made quick work of the top of the Notre Dame order, setting them down 1-2-3.
- After a flyout to left put Lucas Costello to the warning track, Keener took care of a groundout back to the mound and a light popout to Tommy Hawke in center.
Tommy Hawke set the table, getting hit by the first pitch of the game.
- After a double play erased Hawke, Nick Kurtz got the Deacs on the board first pulling one into the right field seats for a solo blast.
  - This marked the fourth home run by a Demon Deacon during the tournament with all four coming from different players.
  - The 22nd home run of the season for Kurtz moved him into fifth on the single-season home run list in program history.
    - 1. Wilken (2023) - 26
    - 2. Brendan Tinsman (2022) - 24
    - Billy Masse (1988) - 24
    - 4. Brock Wilken (2022) - 23
    - 5. Kurtz (2023) - 22
- Brock Wilken reached base by a hit by pitch, his second of the tournament.
  - He had reached base in six of his seven at-bats to this point in the tournament.
- Justin Johnson yanked a double down the leftfield line that just hit inside the chalk, advancing Wilken to third.
  - Both runners were stranded with a groundout to third ending the frame.
Taking a lead into the second inning, struck out a pair and erased the single he surrendered by picking off the runner at first.
Danny Corona started where he left off on Thursday with a single to right field.
- Corona was taken off the base paths with a fielder's choice at second with Bennett Lee taking his spot at first.
- Hawke doubled one off the wall in left field that scored Lee, but Hawke ended the inning as he tried to stretch it into a triple.
Up 2-0 in the top of the third, Keener left the mound with the lead still intact.
- After a runner reached second on a stolen base, Notre Dame got a double down the leftfield line to plate its first run of the game.
After an opening pop out, Kurtz had an impressive at-bat, working from behind 0-2 to coax a walk.
- Johsnson walked to put runners on first and second, but they did not advance any further.
Keener toed the mound for the start of the fourth and nearly worked himself out of some early trouble, but a double off the right field wall scored two to put the Fighting Irish up for the first time in the game.
- He struck out the next batter to limit the damage.
As the second hitter of the inning, Lee reached base on a single that dropped right in front of the centerfielder.
- He advanced to second on a stolen base two pitches later.
- Marek Houston lined one in between the shortstop and third baseman to put runners on the corners with one gone.
- After a popup and flyout to center, both runners were stranded.
Following a double to leadoff the fifth, a sac bunt moved the runner to third.
- A double scored the runner from third and extended Notre Dame's lead to 4-2.
- Derek Crum took over with one out and a runner at second and proceeded to get a strikeout and a groundout to short to get out of the inning.
With 3-4-5 due up for the Deacs, Kurtz crushed a 3-1 pitch to the grass berm in right centerfield to cut the deficit in half.
- This was his second of the game and 23rd on the season, moving him into a tie for fourth in single-season Wake Forest history.
  - This forced the Fighting Irish to make a pitching change and Wilken reached base after being hit by a pitch.
- Bennett reached base on a walk to put two runners on.
  - Two pitches later, both runners moved up into scoring position with a wild pitch.
- After a walk to Lee loaded the bases, another wild pitch tied the game, scoring Wilken from third.
- Hawke beat out a slow taper past the mound to put the Deacs back in front, 5-4.
- Costello nearly beat out a bunt at first, but the bases were left loaded.
Following the three-run inning, Crum resumed his stint on the bump.
- With two runners on, Crum forced a pop out on a bunt attempt and then struck out the next batter.
- He got out of the jam with a huge strikeout swinging, keeping the Deacs in front.
To lead off the inning, Kurtz walked for the second time in the game and reached base for the fourth time in four at-bats.
- Two batters later, Bennett reached base on a bunt, advancing Kurtz to second.
With the lead remaining at one, William Ray took over on the mound.
- After a single, he induced a ground ball to the shortstop, starting the 6-4-3 double play.
- He struck out the next batter to retire the side.
Lee started off the bottom of the seventh with a high chopper over the third baseman who was playing in.
- He advanced to second on a sac bunt from Houston.
- Hawke hit a high chopper to short that handcuffed the shortstop and put runners at the corners.
  - A fielder's choice from Costello scored Lee from third to provide a huge insurance run.
Ray was back on the hill to start the top of the eighth.
- After a walk, Ray got a groundout that was helped by a fantastic putout by Kurtz at first.
- With a lefty due up, Joe Ariola came into the game for Ray.
  - The first batter grounded out to second and the lone runner advanced to third.
  - A flare to center made it a one-run game.
- Ariola turned the ball over to Cole Roland.
  - Roland struck out the No. 9 hitter to end the inning, maintaining the Deacs one-run lead.
Wilken led off the eighth with a moonshot over the left field wall hitting the concourse to put the Demon Deacons back in front by two runs.
- It marked the 67th of his career, putting him two away from the ACC record and he extended his single-season program record with his 27th big fly of the year.
Roland looked for the four-out save as he came back out for the top of the ninth.
- He got the first batter to groundout to shortstop and the second to fly out to right.
- Roland closed out his second save of the season, fanning the final batter.
Wake Forest finished 2-0 in pool play, sending the Deacs into the semifinals on a high note.

Words from Walter

"It was a great team win. I am really proud of our bullpen. Derek Crum comes in there in a huge situation, Will Ray behind him, Joe Ariola and Cole Roland. I am really proud of those guys. We only gave up one run the last 5.1 or so. I am really happy with their performance. We had three goals coming into today: goal No. 1 was to win a ball game, goal No. 2 was to not burn our leverage bullpen pieces and No. 3 was to get Seth Keener ready for a Friday start in a NCAA Regional. Seth threw the ball well. Some hit batters cost him and a couple bad 0-2 pitches cost Seth and Joe Ariola. If we eliminate free passes and make a couple little bit better 0-2 pitches, we might have won that game 7-0. Notre Dame has a really good ball club. I hope things go their way on Monday. They are clearly an NCAA Tournament team for me. They are an older ball club. They have pieces on the mound. They are going to be a tough out in someone's regional here in a week."

Standout Stats

The No. 1 nationally-ranked Deacs claimed its pool and secured a spot in the tournament semifinals on Saturday, May 27 at 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. against fourth-seeded Miami with a 10-2 victory over 12th-seeded Pitt in its first postseason contest on Thursday afternoon.

Additionally, the win helped Wake Forest become the first No. 1 seed to successfully advance out of pool play since the ACC switched to its current championship format in 2017.

After setting program records for regular season wins (45), conference wins (22) and conference series wins (10), the Friday night win helped Demon Deacons tie the program record for total wins (47).

Wake Forest Baseball 40-Win Seasons

2023- 47 overall wins (45 regular season, two postseason)
2002 - 47 overall wins (42 regular season, five postseason)
1999 - 47 overall wins (39 regular season, eight postseason)
2001- 44 overall wins (37 regular season, seven postseason)
2017 - 43 overall wins (38 regular season wins, five postseason)
1998- 43 overall wins (36 regular season, seven postseason)
2000 - 42 overall wins, (38 regular season, three postseason)
2022 - 41 overall wins (39 regular season, two postseason)

Thanks to its 7-3 win on Saturday over the Seminoles, Wake Forest 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.

ACC Regular Season Championships

2023
1963
1962
1955

This year's squad became the fastest team in program history and the first team in the nation this year to reach the 40-win mark with its 14-4 win against UNC Greensboro on May 9.

Wake Forest Fastest to 40 Wins

2023: 47 games
2002: 49 games
1999: 53 games
2001: 55 games
2022: 58 games
2017: 58 games
2000: 59 games
1998: 61 games

In The Spotlight

Nick Kurtz got Wake Forest on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the top of the first, his 22nd long fly of the season.

With the first-inning blast, Kurtz moved into fourth on Wake Forest's all-time single season home run list.

Wake Forest Single Season Home Runs

1. Brock Wilken 2023 27

2. Brendan Tinsman 2022 24

Billy Masse 1988 24

4. Nick Kurtz 2023 23

Brock Wilken 2022 23

Brock Wilken launched his 27th home run of the season and the 67th home run of his career in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Valrico, Fla. native is now two 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)- 67

4. Pat Clougherty, NC State (1991-94)- 61

Wilken owns the Wake Forest career home run record, Wake Forest single-season home run record and is tied for the most home runs by a Wake Forest freshman ever.

On Deck

The Deacs claimed its pool and secured a spot in the tournament semifinals on Saturday, May 27 at 1 p.m. on ACC Network against fourth-seeded Miami.

The winner of the semifinals advances to the 2023 ACC Baseball Championship on Sunday, May 28 at Noon on ESPN2.

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Clutch Hitting, Bullpen Helps Top-Seeded Wake Forest to 7-5 Victory

Next Event

Team Stats

Tommy Hawke

Nick Kurtz

Bennett Lee

Brock Wilken

Players Mentioned

Joe Ariola

Danny Corona

Lucas Costello

Derek Crum

Tommy Hawke

Marek Houston

Justin Johnson

Seth Keener

Nick Kurtz

Bennett Lee

Will Ray

Cole Roland

Brendan Tinsman

Brock Wilken

Wake Forest Athletics

Clutch Hitting, Bullpen Helps Top-Seeded Wake Forest to 7-5 Victory

Related News

Next Event

Team Stats

Game Leaders

Tommy Hawke

Nick Kurtz

Bennett Lee

Brock Wilken

Players Mentioned

Joe Ariola

Danny Corona

Lucas Costello

Derek Crum

Tommy Hawke

Marek Houston

Justin Johnson

Seth Keener

Nick Kurtz

Bennett Lee

Will Ray

Cole Roland

Brendan Tinsman

Brock Wilken

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