Thursday, March 21
Winston-Salem, NC
7 p.m.
Wake Forest University
15-6, 3-4
16
vs
7
Louisville
14-8, 1-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Louisville
0
0
5
2
0
0
0
0
0
7
7
2
Wake Forest
3
2
0
3
0
0
5
3
X
16
13
1
No. 16 Deacs Blast Past Louisville in Series Opener, 16-7
3/21/2024 11:40:00 PM | Baseball
Behind a season-high 16 runs including four runs scored and four RBIs from graduate transfer Mitchell Salvino, No. 16 Wake Forest took the series opener against the Cardinals Thursday night at David F. Couch Ballpark.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. –. Behind a season-high in runs scored, the No. 16-ranked Wake Forest baseball team earned a 16-7 victory over Louisville in the series opener Thursday night at David F. Couch Ballpark.
The Demon Deacons (15-6, 3-4 ACC) were powered by the transfer duo of shortstop Seaver King and right fielder Mitchell Salvino, as the pair went a combined 5-for-7 at the plate with seven runs batted in and seven runs scored. Salvino, who made his first-career start for the Demon Deacons, capped off the night with a three-run shot to left in the bottom of the eighth inning. Of note, the Deacs have hit at least one home run in all but one of their 21 games this season and now have 38 total.
Salvino finished the contest with a game and a season-high in hits (3), runs scored (4) and RBIs (4). Coming into Thursday, he only had one other official plate appearance all season which came against Dayton on Feb. 23. The Washington & Lee transfer became the ninth Deac to homer for Wake Forest this season.
Sophomore Jack Winnay (2-for-3) and senior Jake Reinisch (3-for-4) also recorded multi-hit games and each knocked in a run in the four and five holes, respectively.
On the mound, junior Josh Hartle went six innings for the third time in six appearances this season and improved to 4-1 on the year. Additionally, it marked his 22nd-career victory, which ties him for 10th-most in program history with Warren Newton (1978-81) and Moe Bauer (1947-50).
Freshman reliever Josh Gunther pitched two perfect innings in relief and fanned a career-high five batters. Over his last four outings, the Fairhope, Ala.-native has allowed just one run with nine strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FROM COACH WALTER
"That was a great win and we needed that. We needed to win on Thursday. Obviously, we haven't done that yet this year in the league. Josh pitched better than his line. That five run inning got away from him. There were two walks in there and gave up a home run but he got two double play balls. On one of them, Austin pulled Seaver over and he is supposed to be standing right where that ball got into left field. Then, Javar threw it to the wrong base then cost us another double play opportunity. We didn't convert on the run down. Again, I feel like the two walks and the home run definitely hurt us but we could have been out of that 5-0 or 5-1 very easily.
I'm really happy with how Josh responded. In the fifth inning, he got a big shutdown inning, then asked for the ball in the sixth and delivered another three up, three down inning. Josh Gunther was fantastic tonight, he has been coming along really well. It was good to see Dave throw the ball well. He made a good mechanical adjustment and he was a lot better today. This game was super encouraging one the mound all the way around.
Offensively, we did a really good grinding at-bats. They had 66 pitches through two innings and got a good pitchers pitch count up. We were able to get into their bullpen early in the game which is always a good thing. Mitch Salvino, what can you say about him? He hadn't had much run but then he went in and had a great day. His two-out RBI in the bottom of the seventh was huge. Then, we stacked some on top of that. That was a great team win, really proud of our at bats, Josh Hartle and our club." - head coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest continues the series with the Cardinal on Friday night at noon. For fans unable to attend, the game can be seen on ACC Network Extra.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Demon Deacons (15-6, 3-4 ACC) were powered by the transfer duo of shortstop Seaver King and right fielder Mitchell Salvino, as the pair went a combined 5-for-7 at the plate with seven runs batted in and seven runs scored. Salvino, who made his first-career start for the Demon Deacons, capped off the night with a three-run shot to left in the bottom of the eighth inning. Of note, the Deacs have hit at least one home run in all but one of their 21 games this season and now have 38 total.
Salvino finished the contest with a game and a season-high in hits (3), runs scored (4) and RBIs (4). Coming into Thursday, he only had one other official plate appearance all season which came against Dayton on Feb. 23. The Washington & Lee transfer became the ninth Deac to homer for Wake Forest this season.
Sophomore Jack Winnay (2-for-3) and senior Jake Reinisch (3-for-4) also recorded multi-hit games and each knocked in a run in the four and five holes, respectively.
On the mound, junior Josh Hartle went six innings for the third time in six appearances this season and improved to 4-1 on the year. Additionally, it marked his 22nd-career victory, which ties him for 10th-most in program history with Warren Newton (1978-81) and Moe Bauer (1947-50).
Freshman reliever Josh Gunther pitched two perfect innings in relief and fanned a career-high five batters. Over his last four outings, the Fairhope, Ala.-native has allowed just one run with nine strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Junior Josh Hartle forced a double play in the top of the first to notch his first scoreless inning of the night.
- Wake Forest took the lead early with three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
- Left fielder Javer Williams and shortstop Seaver King both reach on walks to start the bottom of the first frame.
- Sophomore Jack Winnay notched a single in his first at-bat of the night. King reached third and Williams scored during the play on a throwing error by the Louisville left fielder.
- Senior Jake Reinisch scored King on an RBI single that advanced Winnay to third base.
- Winnay scored off a sacrifice fly from catcher Tate Ballestero.
- In the top of the second inning, Hartle kept the game scoreless, retiring the Cardinal in order and tallied his first strikeout of the game.
- The Deacs took a 5-0 lead with two runs in the bottom of the second inning.
- Right fielder Mitchell Salvino was hit by a pitch and Williams singled to set up King with a two-RBI triple to the right field gap.
- Louisville scored five runs in the top of the third inning.
- The Cardinals added two runs in the top of the fourth inning.
- In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Deacs took back the lead to make the score 8-7.
- Salvino led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on the wild pitch to set up the RBI single by Tellier.
- After Tellier stole second base, King reached second on an error and Tellier scored to give the Deacs the lead.
- Hartle fanned two batters and kept the Cardinals at bay in the top of the fifth inning.
- The Cardinals went down in order and Hartle fanned his fourth batter of the night in the top of the sixth.
- In the top of the seventh inning, freshman Josh Gunther entered the game and retired the Cardinals in order, recording two strikeouts.
- Wake Forest extended the lead to 13-7 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
- King struck out but reached first on a wild pitch, Winnay singled and Hawke walked to set up Nelson for an RBI single that kept runners at every base for the Deacs.
- Salvino kept the bases juiced with an RBI single through the left side.
- Hawke scored on a Williams walk that kept ducks on the pond for the Deacs with two outs in the inning.
- Tellier walked and scored Nelson as the Deacs continued to go station-to-station.
- King hit an infield RBI single that scored Salvino for the final run of the inning.
- Gunther struckout the side and reached five strikeouts in the scoreless top of the eighth.
- The Deacs added three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend the lead to 16-7.
- Reinisch singled and Nelson walked to set up the three-run home run from Salvino.
- Graduate transfer David Falco fanned three batters in the top of the ninth inning.
- Wake Forest defeated Louisville, 16-7.
- Getting his first start of his Wake Forest career, graduate student Michael Salvino did not disappoint finishing the game with game and season-high in hits (3), runs scored (4) and RBIs (4).
- Coming into the game, he only had one other plate appearance all season which came against Dayton on Feb. 23.
- He hit the Deacs lone home run in the game which moved the Deacs to 38 home runs on the season. Additionally, the Demon Deacons have now hit a home run in all but one game this season.
- With the victory Thursday night, junior lefthander Josh Hartle now moves into the top 10 in program history with 22 career victories:
| Rank | Name | Career Wins |
| 1. | John Hendricks (1996-99) | 34 |
| 2. | Kyle Sleeth (2001-03) | 31 |
| 3. | Rhett Lowder (2021-23) | 30 |
| 4. | Frank Humber (1986-89) | 29 |
| 5. | Parker Dunshee (2014-17) | 28 |
| T6. | Scott Siemon (1998-01) | 25 |
| T6. | Mike MacDougal (1997-99) | 25 |
| 8. | Marc Palmieri (1990-93) | 24 |
| 9. | Eric Schmitt (1997-00) | 23 |
| T10. | Josh Hartle (2022-Pres.) | 22 |
| T10. | Warren Newton (1978-81) | 22 |
| T10. | Moe Bauer (1947-50) | 22 |
FROM COACH WALTER
"That was a great win and we needed that. We needed to win on Thursday. Obviously, we haven't done that yet this year in the league. Josh pitched better than his line. That five run inning got away from him. There were two walks in there and gave up a home run but he got two double play balls. On one of them, Austin pulled Seaver over and he is supposed to be standing right where that ball got into left field. Then, Javar threw it to the wrong base then cost us another double play opportunity. We didn't convert on the run down. Again, I feel like the two walks and the home run definitely hurt us but we could have been out of that 5-0 or 5-1 very easily.
I'm really happy with how Josh responded. In the fifth inning, he got a big shutdown inning, then asked for the ball in the sixth and delivered another three up, three down inning. Josh Gunther was fantastic tonight, he has been coming along really well. It was good to see Dave throw the ball well. He made a good mechanical adjustment and he was a lot better today. This game was super encouraging one the mound all the way around.
Offensively, we did a really good grinding at-bats. They had 66 pitches through two innings and got a good pitchers pitch count up. We were able to get into their bullpen early in the game which is always a good thing. Mitch Salvino, what can you say about him? He hadn't had much run but then he went in and had a great day. His two-out RBI in the bottom of the seventh was huge. Then, we stacked some on top of that. That was a great team win, really proud of our at bats, Josh Hartle and our club." - head coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest continues the series with the Cardinal on Friday night at noon. For fans unable to attend, the game can be seen on ACC Network Extra.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hartle, Josh (4-1)
L: Sebastian Gongora (3-1)
Batting:
HR: Luke Napleton 1
RBI: Zion Rose 1 ; Luke Napleton 4 ; Dylan Hoy 2
SH: Logan Beard 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zion Rose 1 ; JT Benson 1 ; Luke Napleton 1 ; Eddie King Jr. 1 ; Ryan McCoy 1 ; Logan Beard 1 ; Dylan Hoy 1
CS: Dylan Hoy 1
HBP: Patrick Forbes 1 ; Ryan McCoy 1
Batting:
3B: King, Seaver 1
HR: Salvino, Mitchell 1
RBI: Williams, Javar 1 ; Tellier, Adam 2 ; King, Seaver 3 ; Winnay, Jack 1 ; Reinisch, Jake 1 ; Ballestero, Tate 1 ; Nelson, Cam 1 ; Salvino, Mitchell 4
SH: Reinisch, Jake 1
SF: Winnay, Jack 1 ; Ballestero, Tate 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Williams, Javar 2 ; Tellier, Adam 1 ; King, Seaver 3 ; Winnay, Jack 2 ; Morales, Antonio 1 ; Hawke, Austin 1 ; Nelson, Cam 2 ; Salvino, Mitchell 4
SB: Tellier, Adam 1
HBP: Salvino, Mitchell 1
PO: Reinisch, Jake 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
4
H
3
RBI
4
AB
4
R
3
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C/OF
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RHP
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LHP
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/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballINF
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