Wake Forest University
52-10
Alabama
43-21
No. 1 Wake Forest Clinches Spot in Men’s College World Series with 22-5 Win over No. 16 Alabama
6/11/2023 6:21:00 PM | Baseball
Behind nine home runs from six different players, the No. 1 Wake Forest baseball is headed back to Omaha and will be in search of its second national championship in program history after winning the Winston-Salem Super Regional over No. 16 Alabama.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – In front of another record-breaking, sellout crowd at David F. Couch Ballpark, the Wake Forest baseball team smashed nine home runs, winning game two of the Winston-Salem Super Regional and advancing to the Men's College World Series with a 22-5 victory over Alabama on Sunday afternoon.
Deacon Nation came out in support of their Deacs as David F. Couch Ballpark recorded an attendance of 3,903 for the second-straight game, the highest attendance at The Couch ever and fourth official sellout in Wake Forest Baseball history.
The Deacs will make the program's third ever Men's College World Series appearance, and its first since capturing the program's first national championship in 1955.
Wake Forest punched its ticket to the Super Regional round for the third time since super regionals began in 1999 (1999 and 2017) after going a perfect 3-0 in the Winston-Salem Regional last weekend, outscoring Maryland and George Mason by an overall tally of 48-7.
After breaking the program record for wins in its opening game of the regional last Friday, Wake Forest (52-10) has broken the program record for regular season wins, ACC wins, ACC series wins and overall wins this season. Additionally, the Deacs became the first team in Wake Forest history to have 50 or more wins in a single season last week.
The Demon Deacons continue to lead the nation in wins (52) while having the least amount of losses among Division I teams (10).
Heading into Sunday's contest, the Demon Deacons held a 38-4 record when they score first. They improved on this mark as they were able to tally the first run of the game in the top of the first. Nick Kurtz blasted a two-run home run over the right field wall, giving the Deacs a 2-0 lead.
The Deacs offense led the charge Sunday, hitting an NCAA Tournament record-tying nine home runs to pace their 22 runs which was one run shy of the NCAA Super Regional record. Additionally, Wake Forest is the second team to win four NCAA Tournament games by 10-plus runs (LSU, 1997) and the +59 run differential going into the Men's College World Series is the highest run differential going into Omaha all-time.
Leading the way offensively was junior Brock Wilken who hit a career-high tying three home runs in the game. With his three homers, he now is the ACC home run king with 70 in his career:
- 1. Brock Wilken, Wake Forest (2021-Pres) - 70
- 2. Anthony Maisano, GaT/WF* (1986-90) - 69
- J.D. Drew, Florida State (1995-97) - 69
In total, six of the nine players in the lineup had at least one home run in the game with Danny Corona being the other Demon Deacon with a multi-home run game.
On the mound, Hartle claimed his 11th victory of the season which ties him for sixth in single-season program history. Additionally, he had 11 strikeouts in the game which was his third double-digit strikeout game of the season and was one away from his career-high of 12.
Midway through his outing, Hartle settled in, retiring nine straight from the third through sixth innings.
With that strikeout total, Hartle improved his position inside of the top five in single-season strikeouts, tying Hartle with Rhett Lowder for second in single-season program history. Wake Forest has three players in the top 10 in single-season strikeouts this season:
Wake Forest Single Season Strikeouts
- T2. Rhett Lowder (2023) - 131
- T2. Josh Hartle (2023) - 131
- T10. Sean Sullivan (2023) - 108
The Demon Deacons strikeout numbers have been historic, ranking sixth in NCAA history in single-season strikeouts:
Mississippi St. 2021 68 games 603.2 innings 817 strikeouts
Vanderbilt 2021 67 games 598.0 innings 790 strikeouts
Ole Miss 2021 67 games 586.1 innings 765 strikeouts
Vanderbilt 2019 71 games 633.2 innings 765 strikeouts
Southern Miss. 2022 66 games 596.1 innings 746 strikeouts
Wake Forest 2023 62 games 545.2 innings 738 strikeouts
Arizona St. 1972 72 games 625.0 innings 732 strikeouts
Mississippi St. 2019 67 games 600.0 innings 718 strikeouts
Florida St. 1986 74 games 637.0 innings 718 strikeouts
Additionally, this was the 11th time this season, and third time in the last five games, that a Wake Forest pitcher has struck out 10 or more batters in a game.
- Sean Sullivan (4)
- Rhett Lowder (3)
- Josh Hartle (3)
- Seth Keener (1)
How It Happened
- Much like in game one, Tommy Hawke set the tone in the first at-bat for the Demon Deacons, stinging a line drive down the right field line for a leadoff double.
- Two batters later, Nick Kurtz put the Deacs in front first with a two-run home run over the right field wall.
- This was his 24th home run of the season which tied him for second in single-season home runs in program history:
- Wake Forest Single Season Home Runs
- 1. Brock Wilken 2023 27
- 2. Nick Kurtz 2023 24
- Brendan Tinsman 2022 24
- Billy Masse 1988 24
- This was his 24th home run of the season which tied him for second in single-season home runs in program history:
- Brock Wilken inched closer to history one batter later as his 28th home run of the season put the Deacs up 3-0.
- It was the 68th of his career, moving him one shy of the ACC career record held by J.D. Drew (Florida State) and Anthony Maisano (GaT/WF*).
- Two batters later, Nick Kurtz put the Deacs in front first with a two-run home run over the right field wall.
- Taking the mound on Sunday, Josh Hartle inherited a three-run lead.
- Hartle recorded his first out of the game via a strikeout.
- He got a double-play ball to get out of the inning and hold the Wake Forest lead.
- Bennett Lee worked his way from behind in the count to coax a walk in the second.
- Hawke continued his hot bat in the second with a two-run blast over the right field wall to give the Deacs a 5-2 lead.
- Running back out there for the second with a three-run lead, Hartle struck out the final three batters of the inning, holding the multi-run advantage into the third.
- Wilken sent the first pitch of his at-bat over the left field wall for this his second home run of the game, tying him for the ACC career home run lead at 69 for his career:
- 1. Anthony Maisano, GaT/WF* (1986-90)- 69
- J.D. Drew, Florida State (1995-97)- 69
- Brock Wilken, Wake Forest (2021-Pres)- 69
- After a Justin Johnson infield single, Alabama removed their starting pitcher after allowing six runs in 2.1 innings of work.
- Pierce Bennett worked a walk to put two runners on for Danny Corona
- Corona for the second time in the series and the 12th time this season blasted a home run.
- This increased the Wake Forest lead to 9-3 in the third and was the third crooked number put up in as many innings.
- Lee added to it one batter later with another long fly over left center.
- The solo homer was his seventh of the season, the third of the inning and the sixth of the game to this point.
- Pierce Bennett worked a walk to put two runners on for Danny Corona
- For his third inning of work, Hartle walked out with a 10-3 lead thanks to the five spot in the top of the inning from the offense.
- Hartle settled in, getting a strikeout for the first two outs of the inning.
- He froze the final batter of the inning for his third strikeout of the game and his seventh of the game.
- A leadoff walk for Lucas Costello set the table for the top of the fourth.
- He moved over to second on a wild pitch and third on a grounder to the right side.
- Still with the Deacs up seven runs, Hartle continued to make quick work of the Crimson Tide.
- He picked up his eighth strikeout of the game to get things started.
- Hartle then got a pair of groundouts to set Alabama down in order.
- Lee reached base for the third time in the game in the fifth with his second walk of the game.
- It was the fourth walk as a team to that point and the 12th time a Wake Forest runner had reached base in the game.
- With the Demon Deacons still up 10-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Hartle built on his strong outing.
- He got a groundout to start the inning and then got the next batter to wave at three-straight pitches.
- Hartle moved to double-digit strikeouts to get the final out of the inning.
- This was the third time this season he has reached double-digit strikeouts and the 11th time the Deacs have done it as a staff:
- Sean Sullivan (4)
- Rhett Lowder (3)
- Josh Hartle (3)
- Seth Keener (1)
- This was the third time this season he has reached double-digit strikeouts and the 11th time the Deacs have done it as a staff:
- Costello legged out an infield single.
- An intentional walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases for Bennett.
- A single through the left side scored two to push the advantage to 12-3.
- An intentional walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases for Bennett.
- Hartle moved his strikeout total to 11 for the game to end the sixth inning.
- His career-high coming into the game was 12.
- Houston worked his way on base via a walk in the top of the seventh.
- This forced another pitching change from Alabama.
- Houston advanced to second on a fielder's choice.
- Cole Roland came on in the seventh in relief of Hartle with a 12-4 lead.
- He fanned a batter for the first out of the inning and then struck out the next batter.
- Roland recorded his third strikeout of the inning to give the Deacs a seven-run lead into the eighth.
- Behind a Houston grand slam, Wake Forest piled on six more runs in the eighth to push the lead to 18-5.
- Michael Massey came on in the bottom of the eighth and picked up a pair of strikeouts in his one inning of work.
- The Deacs were not done at the plate.
- They scored four more in the ninth to push the lead to 22-5.
- Wilken set the ACC career record for home runs with his third shot of the game as the solo shot went over the left field fence.
- 1. Brock Wilken, Wake Forest (2021-Pres) - 70
- 2. Anthony Maisano, GaT/WF* (1986-90) - 69
- J.D. Drew, Florida State (1995-97) - 69
- After two runners reached, Corona added his second home run of the game, shaping one inside of the right field pole for a three-run blast.
- Camden Minacci came in for the ninth.
- He struck out the first.
- With what looked like a sure gap hit in left, Bennett sprinted to his left and made a diving catch to rob a hit.
- For the final out of the game, Minacci induced a ground ball to second and Johnson threw it on to first for the out.
Words from Walter
"I'm so proud of this team. We had high expectations all year. Number two ranked. Number one ranked. The higher the expectations got, the more these guys showed up. In big games, your big-time guys have to show up. Kurtzy gets us on the board with his homer in the first and then Brock with the three home run day. They both made some great defensive plays to help us get out. Josh Hartle settled the game down. He was a little shaky early, but then he got a big out there in the third with two out and two on. He really settled in and cruised from there. He got eight of his next nine hitters out after that. Our bullpen did what it's done all year. Cole Roland, Massey and Minacci: that trio has been really good for us all year. It's a big day for our program. It's a culmination of a lot of hard work from a lot of people.
"It started with Ron Wellman and Mike Buddie and their vision for our program. The improvements we've made to our facility. John Currie came on board and moved us further down the field. When you have guys like Ryan Sosic and Tony Joyce and our assistant coaches – Bill Cilento, Corey Muscara, Matt Wessinger and Will Craig. They do so much for our guys to prepare and develop as players and men. Just proud of our organization. It's a big day for us. We're going to celebrate this one for the next 36 hours and we're going to get back to work. This team has even bigger goals. We checked another box."
Winston-Salem Super Regional Schedule
- Game 1: No. 1 Wake Forest defeated No. 16 Alabama, 5-4
- Game 2: No. 1 Wake Forest defeated No. 16 Alabama, 22-5
Standout Stats
Overall, this year's season attendance of 61,717 fans set a new program record. This includes a record-breaking crowds during the NCAA Regional opener against George Mason Friday night and its final game of the weekend against the Patriots when the Deacs had a sellout crowd of 3,823 fans in each game.
In the Winston-Salem Super Regional, Deacon Nation set the attendance record (3,903) in both of Saturday and Sunday's victories.
After breaking the program record for wins in its opening game of the regional last Friday, Wake Forest has broken the program record for regular season wins, ACC wins, ACC series wins and overall wins this season. Additionally, the Deacs became the first team in Wake Forest history to have 50 or more wins in a single season last week.
The Demon Deacons continue to lead the nation in wins (52) while having the least amount of losses among Division I teams (10). Additionally, this year's ballclub is just the fourth team in program history to win at least six postseason games (2023, 2001, 1999, 1998).
Wake Forest Baseball 40-Win Seasons
- 2023- 52 overall wins (45 regular season, six 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)
Additionally, this year's Demon Deacons squad became the 13th ACC team since 2010 to reach the 50-win mark and the 28th to do so since 2000. Additionally, the 52 wins this season marks the first 50-win season by an ACC team since 2019, the most wins by an ACC team since 2017 and is the fifth highest win total since 2010:
- North Carolina - 2013 - 59
- Virginia - 2011 - 56
- Louisville - 2017 - 53
- Virginia - 2014 - 53
- Wake Forest - 2023 - 52
- Louisville - 2019 - 51
- North Carolina 2011 - 51
- Virginia - 2010 - 51
- Louisville - 2016 - 50
- Florida State - 2012 - 50
- Miami - 2016 - 50
- Miami - 2015 - 50
- NC State - 2013 - 50
- Virginia - 2013 - 50
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
The Deacs offense was fueled by seven home runs on Sunday, its highest total of the 2023 season.
Wake Forest Home Runs
- Nick Kurtz- Two-run home run (first inning)
- Brock Wilken- Solo home run (first inning)
- Tommy Hawke- Two-run home run (second inning)
- Brock Wilken- Solo home run (third inning)
- Danny Corona- Three-run home run (third inning)
- Bennett Lee- Solo home run (third inning)
- Marek Houston- Grand Slam (eighth inning)
- Brock Wilken- Solo home run (ninth inning)
- Danny Corona- Three-run home run (ninth inning)
Wake Forest added five runs in the bottom of the third inning before adding six runs in the top of the eighth. This marked Wake Forest's 22nd and 23rd innings this season with at least five runs:
- Youngstown State (Feb. 17): Six runs (second inning)
- Youngstown State (Feb. 19): 12 runs (fourth inning)
- UNCG (Feb. 21): Eight runs (first inning)
- Mount St. Mary's (Feb. 24): Six runs (fifth inning)
- Towson (Feb. 25): Five runs (third inning)
- Towson (Feb. 25: Five runs (eighth inning)
- UNC Wilmington (Feb. 28): Five runs (first inning)
- Elon (March 21): Seven runs (first inning)
- Elon (March 21): Seven runs (fifth inning)
- App State (April 11): Five runs (fifth inning)
- Louisville (April 14): Five runs (third inning)
- Pitt (April 22): Six runs (second inning)
- Pitt (April 23): Five runs (second inning)
- Pitt (April 23): Five runs (ninth inning
- Coastal Carolina (April 25): Five runs (fifth inning)
- Wofford (April 29): Eight runs (sixth inning)
- High Point (April 30): Seven runs (first inning)
- Boston College (May 6): Five runs (sixth inning)
- UNC Greensboro (May 9): Nine runs (fourth inning)
- Maryland (June 3): Six runs (seventh inning)
- Maryland (June 3): Six runs (eighth inning)
- Alabama (June 11): Five runs (third inning)
- Alabama (June 11): Six runs (eighth inning)
In The Spotlight
Josh Hartle has accumulated a 11-2 record with a 2.80 ERA through 96.1 innings to go along with 131 strikeouts, a new career high. The lefthander has allowed just 30 earned runs and has only walked 20 batters.
Hartle's 11 wins this season ranks sixth on Wake Forest's single-season win list.
Wake Forest Single Season Wins
1. Rhett Lowder 2023 15
2. Kyle Sleeth 2002 14
3. Mike MacDougal1999 13
John Hendricks 1998 13
5. Scott Siemon 1999 12
6. Josh Hartle 2023 11
Rhett Lowder 2022 11
Scott Siemon 2000 11
Moe Bauer 1950 11
With 11 strikeouts today against Alabama, Hartle moved into a tie with teammate Rhett Lowder, who reached the feat in yesterday's win, for the second most strikeouts in program history.
Wake Forest Single Season Strikeouts
1. Mike Buddie 1992 138
2. Josh Hartle 2023 131
Rhett Lowder 2023 131
3. Griffin Roberts 2018 130
5. Mike MacDougal 1999 117
6. Kyle Sleeth 2002 113
7. Parker Dunshee 2017 111
John Hendricks 1998 111
9. Mark Seaver 1996 109
10. Sean Sullivan 2023 108
Ryan Cusick 2021 108
With that total, Wake Forest now has three players in the top 10 in single-season strikeouts.
Coming into Super Regionals, Hartle was the ACC leader in strikeout-to-walk ratio while ranking in the top 10 in every other category.
Hartle has struck out at least 10 batters in four starts this season, highlighted by his 11 punchouts today, and has walked more than one batter in just three of his outings. In each of his first three appearances, Hartle either set or tied his previous career-high strikeout mark.
Nick Kurtz got Wake Forest on the scoreboard with a two-run home run in the top of the first, his 24th long fly of the season.
With the first-inning blast, Kurtz moved into a tie for second on Wake Forest's all-time single season home run list.
Wake Forest Single Season Home Runs
1. Brock Wilken 2023 29
2. Nick Kurtz 2023 24
Brendan Tinsman 2022 24
Billy Masse 1988 24
5. Brock Wilken 2022 23
Immediately after Kurtz's homer, Brock Wilken launched his 29th home run of the season and the 68th home run of his career. In his next at-bat, The Valrico, Fla. native tied the ACC career home run record with the 69th long fly of his career before breaking the conference record for career home runs with a solo home run to left field in the ninth.
ACC Career Home Run Leaders
1. Brock Wilken, Wake Forest (2021-Pres)- 70
2. Anthony Maisano, GaT/WF* (1986-90)- 69
J.D. Drew, Florida State (1995-97)- 69
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.
Additionally, Kurtz and Wilken's 54 combined home runs are the most by a duo in the nation this season:
Home runs by a duo this year
1. Brock Wilken & Nick Kurtz, WF (54)
2. Nick Lorusso & Matt Shaw, Maryland (50)
3. Jac Caglianone & Wyatt Langford, Florida (50)
On Deck
The Deacs will make the program's third ever Men's College World Series appearance, and its first since capturing the program's first national championship in 1955.
Stay tuned to Wake Forest's social media accounts (@WakeBaseball) for the latest scheduling updates and information.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hartle, Josh (11-2)
L: Jacob McNairy (7-3)
Batting:
2B: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 1
HR: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Kurtz, Nick 1 ; Wilken, Brock 3 ; Corona, Danny 2 ; Lee, Bennett 1 ; Houston, Marek 1
RBI: Hawke, Tommy 2 ; Kurtz, Nick 2 ; Wilken, Brock 3 ; Johnson, Justin 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 3 ; Corona, Danny 6 ; Lee, Bennett 1 ; Houston, Marek 4
SF: Bennett, Pierce 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hawke, Tommy 2 ; Costello, Lucas 1 ; Kurtz, Nick 2 ; Wilken, Brock 5 ; Johnson, Justin 3 ; Bennett, Pierce 2 ; Corona, Danny 3 ; Lee, Bennett 3 ; Houston, Marek 1
SB: Johnson, Justin 1
HBP: Kurtz, Nick 1 ; Johnson, Justin 1
Batting:
2B: Jim Jarvis 1
HR: Andrew Pinckney 1 ; Colby Shelton 2 ; Mac Guscette 1
RBI: Andrew Pinckney 2 ; Colby Shelton 2 ; Mac Guscette 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jim Jarvis 1 ; Andrew Pinckney 1 ; Colby Shelton 2 ; Mac Guscette 1
