Friday, March 15
Charlottesville, VA
4 p.m.
Wake Forest University
12-5, 1-3
10
at
16
Virginia
15-3, 2-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Wake Forest
0
5
3
1
0
1
0
0
0
10
13
1
Virginia
0
7
0
0
0
8
0
1
X
16
14
0
Wake Forest Falls in Series Opener at No. 17 Virginia
3/15/2024 10:02:00 PM | Baseball
Newcomers Seaver King and Javar Williams each collected three hits apiece in the loss.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 7 Wake Forest baseball team fell to No. 17 Virginia, 16-10, Friday night at Disharoon Park at Davenport Field in Charlottesville, Va.
The Demon Deacons (12-5, 1-3 ACC) scored double-digit runs for the fifth time this season and for the first time in ACC play. After an RBI walk drawn by sophomore Marek Houston, graduate transfer Adam Tellier capped off a five-run second inning with a grand slam. It marked his team-high seventh home run of the season.
Starting in center, freshman Javar Williams made an impact in the eight-hole for the Deacs, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI. Williams joins teammate Nick Kurtz (three hits - NC State, May 21, 2022) and Wake Forest baseball alumni and 2023 Cleveland Guardians draftee Tommy Hawke (4 hits - Long Island, June 4, 2022) as the last Wake Forest freshmen with at least three hits in a game.
The Dartmouth, Ma. product moved to left later in the contest and robbed what would have been a game-tying home run for The Hoos in the bottom of the fifth.
Fellow freshman Cam Nelson and sophomore Marek Houston each had multi-hit games with Nelson also having two RBIs to his name out of the No. 9 hole. Nelson's pair of hits and RBIs both marked season-highs.
Freshman righthander Josh Gunther weathered the storm for the Deacs on the mound in the early stages of the game, tossing a career-high 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with three strikeouts.
Returning from an injury to pitch for the first time in 312 days, righthander Chase Walter needed just one pitch to retire the final Virginia batter in the bottom of the eighth.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FROM COACH WALTER
"Our defense let us down today. They scored two big innings and they all came with two outs. In the second inning, we had a chance to get off of the field there. There were a couple of plays that we didn't make. They went down as hits in the book, but they were plays that I know our guys should make and they led to seven runs with two outs. It was the same story in the sixth inning. We had a chance to get off the field with a 10-8 lead and just nine outs to get, which is where we wanted it, but we just didn't make the play we needed to. I liked the way our offense battled. Josh Gunther threw the ball well today, Zach Johnston threw the ball well today. It was good to see Joe Ariola. Javar Williams and Cam Nelson continued to have good at-bats. I liked our offensive approach today, but when things are going bad it seems like the little things hurt you. That's kind of where this club is right now and we have a chance to turn that around tomorrow." - head coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
The Deacs are back at Disharoon Park at Davenport Field for game two against No. 16 Virginia. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. and can be seen nationally on the ACC Network.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Demon Deacons (12-5, 1-3 ACC) scored double-digit runs for the fifth time this season and for the first time in ACC play. After an RBI walk drawn by sophomore Marek Houston, graduate transfer Adam Tellier capped off a five-run second inning with a grand slam. It marked his team-high seventh home run of the season.
Starting in center, freshman Javar Williams made an impact in the eight-hole for the Deacs, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI. Williams joins teammate Nick Kurtz (three hits - NC State, May 21, 2022) and Wake Forest baseball alumni and 2023 Cleveland Guardians draftee Tommy Hawke (4 hits - Long Island, June 4, 2022) as the last Wake Forest freshmen with at least three hits in a game.
The Dartmouth, Ma. product moved to left later in the contest and robbed what would have been a game-tying home run for The Hoos in the bottom of the fifth.
Fellow freshman Cam Nelson and sophomore Marek Houston each had multi-hit games with Nelson also having two RBIs to his name out of the No. 9 hole. Nelson's pair of hits and RBIs both marked season-highs.
Freshman righthander Josh Gunther weathered the storm for the Deacs on the mound in the early stages of the game, tossing a career-high 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with three strikeouts.
Returning from an injury to pitch for the first time in 312 days, righthander Chase Walter needed just one pitch to retire the final Virginia batter in the bottom of the eighth.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Returning to the lineup after a hamstring injury, shortstop Marek Houston laced a leadoff double into the left field corner to start the game.
- The Deacs were unable to bring Houston home in the top half of the first.
- Making his fifth start of the year, lefty Josh Hartle worked a scoreless first inning with a strikeout.
- With nobody on and two away in the second, Wake Forest struck for a five-spot to grab early control of the game.
- Freshman Javar Williams got things started with a two-out double into the left center gap.
- Catcher Tate Ballestero earned a walk and freshman Cam Nelson was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Houston.
- The Deacs scratched the first run of the game across on a seven-pitch walk from Houston to grab the lead.
- Second baseman Adam Tellier delivered the big blow of the inning with his seventh homer of the year.
- The grand slam nearly flew over the bleachers in left, traveling 401 feet, to bring Tellier's RBI total to 19 on the season.
- Virginia answered with seven runs in the second to take the lead.
- Wake Forest took the lead back with a three-run top of the third.
- Junior Seaver King got the inning started with a leadoff single.
- After a walk by sophomore Jack Winnay, Williams came through with his second hit of the night to draw Wake Forest within a run.
- Ballestero reached base for the second time and Nelson delivered with a two-out double to left center to put the Deacs back up by a pair.
- King beat out his second infield single and designated hitter Jake Reinisch beat the shift to put runners on the corners for Wake in the top of the fourth.
- King scampered home to score on an RBI fielder's choice by Winnay and give Wake a 9-7 lead after four and a half innings.
- Freshman Josh Gunther weathered the storm for the Deacs, tossing a career-high 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with three strikeouts to keep the Deacs up by two.
- Coming on for Gunther in the bottom of the fifth, Zach Johnston threw the Deacs third-straight zero on the board with a pair of strikeouts.
- The Demon Deacons pushed their lead out to three with Jake Reinisch scoring on a wild pitch to make it 10-7 in the sixth.
- Virginia took the lead with an eighth-run sixth inning to make it 15-10.
- The Cavaliers added a run in the eighth and went on to win, 16-10, in the series opener.
FROM COACH WALTER
"Our defense let us down today. They scored two big innings and they all came with two outs. In the second inning, we had a chance to get off of the field there. There were a couple of plays that we didn't make. They went down as hits in the book, but they were plays that I know our guys should make and they led to seven runs with two outs. It was the same story in the sixth inning. We had a chance to get off the field with a 10-8 lead and just nine outs to get, which is where we wanted it, but we just didn't make the play we needed to. I liked the way our offense battled. Josh Gunther threw the ball well today, Zach Johnston threw the ball well today. It was good to see Joe Ariola. Javar Williams and Cam Nelson continued to have good at-bats. I liked our offensive approach today, but when things are going bad it seems like the little things hurt you. That's kind of where this club is right now and we have a chance to turn that around tomorrow." - head coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
The Deacs are back at Disharoon Park at Davenport Field for game two against No. 16 Virginia. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. and can be seen nationally on the ACC Network.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Matt Augustin (2-0)
L: Ray, Will (0-2)
S: Jack O'Connor (2)
Batting:
2B: Houston, Marek 1 ; Winnay, Jack 1 ; Williams, Javar 1 ; Nelson, Cam 1
HR: Tellier, Adam 1
RBI: Houston, Marek 1 ; Tellier, Adam 4 ; Winnay, Jack 1 ; Williams, Javar 1 ; Nelson, Cam 2
SH: Tellier, Adam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Houston, Marek 1 ; Tellier, Adam 1 ; King, Seaver 2 ; Reinisch, Jake 1 ; Winnay, Jack 1 ; Williams, Javar 2 ; Ballestero, Tate 1 ; Nelson, Cam 1
HBP: Ballestero, Tate 1 ; Nelson, Cam 1
Batting:
2B: Henry Ford 1 ; Jacob Ference 2 ; Ethan Anderson 1
HR: Jacob Ference 1
RBI: Griff O'Ferrall 3 ; Bobby Whalen 1 ; Casey Saucke 1 ; Henry Ford 2 ; Henry Godbout 1 ; Jacob Ference 2 ; Ethan Anderson 1 ; Anthony Stephan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Griff O'Ferrall 3 ; Bobby Whalen 2 ; Casey Saucke 1 ; Henry Ford 1 ; Harrison Didawick 2 ; Henry Godbout 1 ; Jacob Ference 3 ; Ethan Anderson 2 ; Anthony Stephan 1
SB: Henry Ford 1 ; Jacob Ference 1
HBP: Henry Godbout 1 ; Jacob Ference 1
PO: Henry Godbout 1
Game Leaders
3b/cf
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
cf/lf
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Baseball
C/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF/INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballUTL
/ Baseball
1B
/ BaseballOF/LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballFootball Media Availability (10/29/25)
Wednesday, October 29
Football Media Availability (10/28/25)
Wednesday, October 29
Wake Forest Football vs SMU | Cinematic Recap
Wednesday, October 29
Wake Forest Head Football Coach Jake Dickert Weekly Press Conference (10/27/2025)
Monday, October 27