Friday, May 24
Charlotte, NC
7 p.m.
Wake Forest University
38-19
9
vs
5
North Carolina
42-13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
R
H
E
Wake Forest
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
0
1
0
0
4
9
10
0
North Carolina
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
0
0
0
0
5
12
1
Demon Deacons Take Down No. 1 Seed North Carolina in 12-inning Thriller on Friday Night
5/25/2024 2:01:00 AM | Baseball
Junior Nick Kurtz delivered the big blow with a first-pitch ambush to the opposite side for his 22nd homer of the year to give Wake Forest the lead in extra innings.
CHARLOTTE – After 12 innings, 24 strikeouts and four home runs No. 22 Wake Forest toppled No. 7 North Carolina 9-5 at Truist Field in Charlotte, N.C. to advance to the 2024 ACC Championship semifinal.
Starting pitcher Chase Burns was electric once again, as the righty fanned 15 batters Friday night, marking the 12th time in 15 starts this season he struck out at least 10 batters and 10th time he finished with at least 13 punch outs.
Burns has been untouchable in the month of May, compiling 57 strikeouts to just five walks for a 11.40 K/BB ratio and a ridiculous 19.73 K/9 ratio to go along with a 0.34 ERA in four starts.
He allowed no runs on six hits over 6.0 innings and allowed just two walks. The outing also marked his 11th quality start of his junior season. Additionally with the 15 punchouts, Burns now holds nine of the top 12 single-game strikeout performances in Wake Forest (38-19) history.
Burns (401 career strikeouts) currently leads Arkansas' Hagen Smith (353 career strikeouts) by 48 strikeouts as the active Division-I baseball strikeout leaders. Already holding the single-season strikeout record in Wake Forest history, Burns has now fanned 184 batters this campaign.
In total, the Deacs combined for a season-high 24 strikeouts as a staff on Friday night against the Tar Heels (42-13) and rank second in the country with 663 punchouts on the year.
In the top of the third inning shortstop Marek Houston launched a solo home run to give the Deacs an early lead. Houston's 365-foot solo shot marked the second time in his career and this season that the sophomore has had back-to-back games with homers.
Graduate student Adam Tellier added the second home run of the game and his 13th of the season for the Demon Deacons in the top of the fourth inning to give Wake Forest a 2-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth, freshman Liam Willson reached on a leadoff walk which made way for a two-run bomb over the left field wall from Cameron Gill. Gill's home run marked his fourth the season and gave the Deacs a 4-0 lead.
After the Tar Heels took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, Gill walked to lead off the top of the ninth inning. Down to their final strike, first baseman Nick Kurtz came through in the clutch with a full-count double to the left-center gap to tie the game in the top of the ninth.
Sophomore Joe Ariola struck out two Tar Heels to shut down the UNC offense in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
Entering with a pair of runners on and one out in the top of the eleventh, reliever Ben Shenosky earned the win on the bump, inducing a pair of groundballs to set the stage for the Demon Deacons in the top of the 12th.
Wake Forest came alive in the 12th, Houston recorded his third base hit of the evening, leading to Kurtz hitting a two-run 408-foot bomb over the wall in left-center for his team-leading 22nd home run of the season to give the Deacs a 7-5 lead.
The Demon Deacons added two more runs in the top of the 12th with a clutch one-out single through the left side from freshman Antonio Morales to score sophomore Jack Winnay and third baseman Seaver King to extend the Wake Forest lead to 9-5.
Junior Michael Massey slammed the door in the bottom half, striking out three-straight batters after a leadoff double to preserve the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
T3. Chase Burns 15 May 24, 2024
T3. Chase Burns 15 April 6, 2024
T5. Chase Burns 14 April 26, 2024
T5. Chase Burns 14 March 29, 2024
T5. Chase Burns 14 March 9, 2024
T5. John Stokoe 14 1957
T5. Tim Cooney 14 March 6, 2011
T10. Chase Burns 13 May 10, 2024
T10. Chase Burns 13 May 4, 2024
T10. Chase Burns 13 March 16, 2024
STAGGERING STATISTIC
o Coming into Friday, only 29 teams in the country had 100 or more home runs with the Deacs total entering the ACC tournament ranking 14th nationally.
o Over the last three seasons, Wake Forest has totaled 364 home runs which leads the ACC and also ranks third nationally during that time and these are just the only four teams to have 100 or more home runs each season:
FROM COACH WALTER
"That's about as good as a ballgame you will see right there, that game was intense. Hats off to North Carolina. They played a great game today and they're such a good team. They are as good as anyone in the country and they proved that here tonight. They're so deep and talented. That was a great win for our program. Our guys showed toughness and resilience.
We got a great start from Chase Burns. His pitch count got a little higher than we wanted. We were hoping to get seven out of him but felt good about six outs but nine outs is a stretch. You can't walk guys in those middle innings. We went out there with a four-run lead then walked two guys to start off the inning. Then a ball hits a bag. Our guys kept battling. Big time players, make big time plays in big situations. Nick Kurtz, Michael Massey and Chase Burns, our stars got it done tonight.
Regretting pinch hitting for Reinisch when his spot came up about 14 more times but that's baseball. Our bullpen was awesome tonight. Ben Shenosky, Joe Ariola and Will Ray came in and got a big out. I was proud of those guys. Then Michael Massey what can you say about him. He pitched on short rest and came back for the first time after being out a couple of weeks. For him to come in there in the 12th was pretty special." - head coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest will now prepare to take on No. 5-seeded Florida State tomorrow (May 25) at 1 p.m. in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. The winner will advance to Sunday's championship game at noon.
The semifinal clash will air live on ACC Network.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Starting pitcher Chase Burns was electric once again, as the righty fanned 15 batters Friday night, marking the 12th time in 15 starts this season he struck out at least 10 batters and 10th time he finished with at least 13 punch outs.
Burns has been untouchable in the month of May, compiling 57 strikeouts to just five walks for a 11.40 K/BB ratio and a ridiculous 19.73 K/9 ratio to go along with a 0.34 ERA in four starts.
He allowed no runs on six hits over 6.0 innings and allowed just two walks. The outing also marked his 11th quality start of his junior season. Additionally with the 15 punchouts, Burns now holds nine of the top 12 single-game strikeout performances in Wake Forest (38-19) history.
Burns (401 career strikeouts) currently leads Arkansas' Hagen Smith (353 career strikeouts) by 48 strikeouts as the active Division-I baseball strikeout leaders. Already holding the single-season strikeout record in Wake Forest history, Burns has now fanned 184 batters this campaign.
In total, the Deacs combined for a season-high 24 strikeouts as a staff on Friday night against the Tar Heels (42-13) and rank second in the country with 663 punchouts on the year.
In the top of the third inning shortstop Marek Houston launched a solo home run to give the Deacs an early lead. Houston's 365-foot solo shot marked the second time in his career and this season that the sophomore has had back-to-back games with homers.
Graduate student Adam Tellier added the second home run of the game and his 13th of the season for the Demon Deacons in the top of the fourth inning to give Wake Forest a 2-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth, freshman Liam Willson reached on a leadoff walk which made way for a two-run bomb over the left field wall from Cameron Gill. Gill's home run marked his fourth the season and gave the Deacs a 4-0 lead.
After the Tar Heels took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, Gill walked to lead off the top of the ninth inning. Down to their final strike, first baseman Nick Kurtz came through in the clutch with a full-count double to the left-center gap to tie the game in the top of the ninth.
Sophomore Joe Ariola struck out two Tar Heels to shut down the UNC offense in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
Entering with a pair of runners on and one out in the top of the eleventh, reliever Ben Shenosky earned the win on the bump, inducing a pair of groundballs to set the stage for the Demon Deacons in the top of the 12th.
Wake Forest came alive in the 12th, Houston recorded his third base hit of the evening, leading to Kurtz hitting a two-run 408-foot bomb over the wall in left-center for his team-leading 22nd home run of the season to give the Deacs a 7-5 lead.
The Demon Deacons added two more runs in the top of the 12th with a clutch one-out single through the left side from freshman Antonio Morales to score sophomore Jack Winnay and third baseman Seaver King to extend the Wake Forest lead to 9-5.
Junior Michael Massey slammed the door in the bottom half, striking out three-straight batters after a leadoff double to preserve the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Junior Chase Burns started the game hot for the Demon Deacons, striking out a pair to open the contest in the first.
- Burns escaped a bases loaded jam to keep the game scoreless in the second, picking up his fifth strikeout of the evening in the frame.
- Homering in back-to-back games for the second time in this season and in his Wake Forest career, sophomore Marek Houston gave the Deacs an early lead with a 365-foot solo shot over the left field wall to make it 1-0 in the top of the third.
- Burns struck out another three batters in a scoreless bottom of the third.
- Attacking an 0-1 pitch, second baseman Adam Tellier roped a solo home run over the left field wall to extend the Demon Deacon lead to 2-0 with his 13th homer of the campaign.
- Burns continued to deal on the mound as he struck out all three batters in a shutdown fourth inning.
- Burns struckout his 12th and 13th batters of the game as he pitched another scoreless frame in the bottom of the fifth.
- A heads up play by Nick Kurtz to throw a runner out at third and Burns' 14th and 15th strikeouts of the game propelled the Demon Deacons to another scoreless half-inning in the bottom of the sixth.
- Following a walk from freshman Liam Willson walk, graduate transfer Cameron Gill homered in back-to-back games for the first time this season, smoking a two-run home run on to the terrace in left field for his fourth homer of the season to extend the lead to 4-0 in the top half of the seventh.
- North Carolina scored three in the bottom of the seventh to cut the Wake Forest lead to one.
- The Tar Heels scored two in the bottom of the eighth to take a 5-4 lead.
- After a Cameron Gill walk, junior Nick Kurtz hit a double off the wall in right-center field with two outs to score pinch runner Mitchell Salvino from first and tie the game at five in the top of the ninth.
- Sophomore Joe Ariola struck out two Tar Heels in a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning to send the game to extra innings.
- Freshman Josh Gunther pitched a scoreless frame in the bottom of the 10th to extend the game.
- Reliever Ben Shenosky got out of a bases-loaded jam to stay unscathed in the bottom of the 11th.
- The Deacs scored four runs in the top of the 12th inning to take a 9-5 lead on the Tar Heels.
- Houston singled to set up Kurtz for a two-run 408-foot home run over the wall in left center for his team-leading 22nd home run of the year to give the Deacs a 7-5 lead.
- Jack Winnay reached on an error, King was intentionally walked and Tellier was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
- Freshman Antonio Morales hit a two-RBI single to right field past the first base line to extend the Wake Forest lead to 9-5.
- Junior Michael Massey struck out three batters in the bottom of the 12th to secure the 9-5 victory for the Demon Deacons.
- In 247.1 career innings pitched, Chase Burns has now struckout 401 career batters. The righty finished last season ranked third nationally with 14.3 K/9 and currently sits at 17.43 K/9 through 15 starts.
- For the 17th time in his career and the 12th time as a Deac, the junior struck out 10 or more as he fanned 15.
- Burns (401 career strikeouts) currently leads Arkansas' Hagen Smith by 48 strikeouts as the active Division-I baseball strikeout leaders.
- The righty also ranks inside the top-three in strikeout-per-nine among active career players, sitting at 14.40 prior to Friday's start.
- Additionally, 15 strikeouts is now tied for the third-highest single-game strikeout total in program history. Additionally, Burns now holds nine of the top 12 single-game strikeout performances in Wake Forest history.
Rank Player Strikeout Total Date
1. Erik Hanson 18 April 17, 1985
T3. Chase Burns 15 May 24, 2024
T3. Chase Burns 15 April 6, 2024
T5. Chase Burns 14 April 26, 2024
T5. Chase Burns 14 March 29, 2024
T5. Chase Burns 14 March 9, 2024
T5. John Stokoe 14 1957
T5. Tim Cooney 14 March 6, 2011
T10. Chase Burns 13 May 10, 2024
T10. Chase Burns 13 May 4, 2024
T10. Chase Burns 13 March 16, 2024
STAGGERING STATISTIC
- For the second time in his career and this season, sophomore Marek Houston hit home runs in back-to-back games with a 365-solo shot to put the first run on the board for the Deacs against North Carolina.
- He has hit safely in 32 of his last 39 games with 17 multi-hit efforts.
- The sophomore reached base at a .500 clip during the NC State series last weekend and has hit safely in 13 of the last 14 games with an RBI in nine of the last 13.
- Junior Seaver King has now reached base safely in 30-consecutive games with at least one hit in each of the last 16.
- With his homerun in the bottom of the fourth inning, Cameron Gill hit a home run in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
- Wake Forest had four home runs against the Tar Heels. It marked the 33nd game this season in which the Demon Deacons recorded multiple home runs and 9th with at least four.
- The 112 Demon Deacon home runs mark the third consecutive season the Deacs have reached the century mark and is now the third-highest home run total in program history. Of note, the three-highest totals have all come in the last three seasons.
| Rank | Season | Home Runs |
| 1. | 2023 | 130 |
| 2. | 2022 | 122 |
| T3. | 2024 | 112 |
| T3. | 2017 | 106 |
o Coming into Friday, only 29 teams in the country had 100 or more home runs with the Deacs total entering the ACC tournament ranking 14th nationally.
o Over the last three seasons, Wake Forest has totaled 364 home runs which leads the ACC and also ranks third nationally during that time and these are just the only four teams to have 100 or more home runs each season:
| Rank | School | Home Runs |
| 1. | Tennessee | 425 |
| 2. | Florida | 382 |
| 3. | Wake Forest | 364 |
| 4. | Campbell | 350 |
- Additionally, four Demon Deacons rank inside the top 20 of the ACC in home runs.
| Name | Home Runs | ACC Rank | National Rank |
| Nick Kurtz | 22 | 5 | 23 |
| Jack Winnay | 20 | 9 | 40 |
| Jake Reinisch | 18 | 13 | 84 |
| Seaver King | 16 | 18 | 119 |
FROM COACH WALTER
"That's about as good as a ballgame you will see right there, that game was intense. Hats off to North Carolina. They played a great game today and they're such a good team. They are as good as anyone in the country and they proved that here tonight. They're so deep and talented. That was a great win for our program. Our guys showed toughness and resilience.
We got a great start from Chase Burns. His pitch count got a little higher than we wanted. We were hoping to get seven out of him but felt good about six outs but nine outs is a stretch. You can't walk guys in those middle innings. We went out there with a four-run lead then walked two guys to start off the inning. Then a ball hits a bag. Our guys kept battling. Big time players, make big time plays in big situations. Nick Kurtz, Michael Massey and Chase Burns, our stars got it done tonight.
Regretting pinch hitting for Reinisch when his spot came up about 14 more times but that's baseball. Our bullpen was awesome tonight. Ben Shenosky, Joe Ariola and Will Ray came in and got a big out. I was proud of those guys. Then Michael Massey what can you say about him. He pitched on short rest and came back for the first time after being out a couple of weeks. For him to come in there in the 12th was pretty special." - head coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest will now prepare to take on No. 5-seeded Florida State tomorrow (May 25) at 1 p.m. in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. The winner will advance to Sunday's championship game at noon.
The semifinal clash will air live on ACC Network.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Shenosky, Ben (5-3)
L: Ben Peterson (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Houston, Marek 1 ; Kurtz, Nick 1
HR: Houston, Marek 1 ; Kurtz, Nick 1 ; Tellier, Adam 1 ; Gill, Cameron 1
RBI: Houston, Marek 1 ; Kurtz, Nick 3 ; Tellier, Adam 1 ; Morales, Antonio 2 ; Gill, Cameron 2
SH: Williams, Javar 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Houston, Marek 2 ; Kurtz, Nick 1 ; Winnay, Jack 1 ; King, Seaver 1 ; Tellier, Adam 1 ; Hawke, Austin 1 ; Gill, Cameron 1 ; Nelson, Cam 1
HBP: Reinisch, Jake 1 ; Tellier, Adam 1
Batting:
2B: Vance Honeycutt 2 ; Casey Cook 1 ; Anthony Donofrio 1
RBI: Vance Honeycutt 1 ; Parks Harber 2 ; Anthony Donofrio 1 ; Luke Stevenson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vance Honeycutt 2 ; Parks Harber 1 ; Jackson Van De Brake 1 ; Colby Wilkerson 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
6
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
LHP
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RHP
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RHP
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/ BaseballUTL
/ Baseball1B
/ Baseball
RHP
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UTL
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/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
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INF
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
INF
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