Tuesday, March 25
Elon, NC
6 p.m.
Wake Forest University
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Elon
9-15
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Wake Forest
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13
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Elon
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No. 16 Demon Deacons Secure Run-Rule Victory at Elon
3/25/2025 10:08:00 PM | Baseball
Wake Forest pitching allowed just two hits, while collecting 13 on the offensive end.
ELON, N.C. – The No. 16 Wake Forest baseball team clicked in every phase to defeat Elon, 10-0, in seven innings on Tuesday night at Latham Park, completing the season sweep of the Phoenix.
Freshman Chris Levonas shined in his fourth start of the season, holding Elon (9-15, 1-2 CAA) to just one hit over four scoreless innings to pick up his first career win on the mound. The righty struck out a season-high five batters and retired nine-straight hitters after the Phoenix loaded the bases with nobody out in the second inning.
Making his first start in a Wake Forest uniform, freshman Luke Costello put together the first multi-hit game of his career, finishing 3-for-4 with a lead-off double down the left field line to start the fourth inning and had a team-high three runs scored on the evening.
Junior Marek Houston had his 13th multi-hit game of the season through the first 26 contests, joining Costello on a 3-for-4 night. Seeing a surge in power this season, Houston became the first Demon Deacon to reach double-digit home runs, blasting his 10th of the year in the sixth inning.
Second baseman Austin Hawke reached base at least three times in each of the last three contests. He finished Tuesday's game 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, two runs scored, a double, and a walk.
Freshman Dalton Wentz also added a pair of hits and two RBI, while center fielder Javar Williams extended his hit streak to 13 games with a single to right field in the sixth inning.
Sophomore Nate Brittain was strong in relief of Levonas, striking out a pair over 2.0 innings, needing just 24 pitches to record six outs on the mound for the Deacs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
STAGGERING STATISTIC
FROM COACH WALTER
"The best parts about today were Chris Levonas was outstanding. That second inning was the difference in the game. He had bases loaded with nobody out, the game is still in doubt and he responds. He gets three-up, three-down on a popup to short, a punchout and a groundball. We're all of a sudden back in the dugout with no runs. It felt like that was the turning point of the game. The second thing I was really happy with was Nate Brittain today. It was really good to see him get two innings. His fastball was electric today. And then Luke Costello, who's a guy that hasn't played a whole lot, comes in and gets three hits in his first three at-bats, which was huge. Jimmy Keenan with a big triple there. It was good to see him get going a little bit. Good day for the Deacs. The fourth, and maybe the most important thing, we didn't throw any of our bullpen pieces today. We got a chance to rest [Josh] Gunther, [Griffin] Greene, [Zach] Johnston, [Luke] Schmolke and [Joe] Ariola. Those five guys who are five main bullpen pieces didn't need to throw today and that's huge for the weekend to set us up for Friday's game." - Head Coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest returns to David F. Couch Ballpark on Friday, Mar. 28 taking on Virginia Tech in a three-game conference series. First pitch for the weekend is set for 6 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.
FOLLOW THE DEACS
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Freshman Chris Levonas shined in his fourth start of the season, holding Elon (9-15, 1-2 CAA) to just one hit over four scoreless innings to pick up his first career win on the mound. The righty struck out a season-high five batters and retired nine-straight hitters after the Phoenix loaded the bases with nobody out in the second inning.
Making his first start in a Wake Forest uniform, freshman Luke Costello put together the first multi-hit game of his career, finishing 3-for-4 with a lead-off double down the left field line to start the fourth inning and had a team-high three runs scored on the evening.
Junior Marek Houston had his 13th multi-hit game of the season through the first 26 contests, joining Costello on a 3-for-4 night. Seeing a surge in power this season, Houston became the first Demon Deacon to reach double-digit home runs, blasting his 10th of the year in the sixth inning.
Second baseman Austin Hawke reached base at least three times in each of the last three contests. He finished Tuesday's game 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, two runs scored, a double, and a walk.
Freshman Dalton Wentz also added a pair of hits and two RBI, while center fielder Javar Williams extended his hit streak to 13 games with a single to right field in the sixth inning.
Sophomore Nate Brittain was strong in relief of Levonas, striking out a pair over 2.0 innings, needing just 24 pitches to record six outs on the mound for the Deacs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Shortstop Marek Houston ripped a two-out single through the right side and junior Jack Winnay drew a walk, but the Demon Deacons were unable to score in the top of the first.
- Starter Chris Levonas needed just eight pitches to get through his first inning of work, as he froze the three-hole hitter for the Phoenix with a nasty breaking ball for his first strikeout.
- Wake Forest struck for a pair of runs in the second to grab a 2-0 advantage.
- Making his first career start, freshman Luke Costello put a ball through the left side to put a runner on with one away.
- Second baseman Austin Hawke laced an RBI double down the line in left to plate Costello and get Wake on the board first.
- Graduate transfer Matt Scannell traded places with Hawke on an RBI double of his own to the right-center gap to double the Wake lead.
- Levonas danced around loading the bases with no outs in the second, getting an infield fly, strikeout and fielder's choice to get out of the inning unscathed.
- The Deacs added another run in the third.
- Houston collected his second knock of the day and moved to third on a pair of stolen bases.
- Freshman Dalton Wentz drove Houston in with a single laced back up the middle to push the lead to 3-0.
- Needing just 10 pitches, Levonas made quick work of the Phoenix in the third inning.
- Wake Forest pushed the lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth, as Costello roped a double down the third base line to lead off the frame and came home on Hawke's second RBI base knock of the evening.
- Sophomore Nate Brittain entered in relief, retiring Elon on just eight pitches in the home half of the fifth.
- Scoring for the fifth-straight inning, Wake Forest added two more runs in the top of the sixth.
- Center fielder Javar Williams picked up his first hit of the night, roping the first pitch he saw into right field.
- Houston collected his third hit of the night in a big way, sending a 2-2 pitch deep over the wall in left for his 10th home run of the season to put Wake Forest up by seven.
- Brittain worked around a bunt single to start the sixth, keeping the Phoenix off the board with a strikeout sandwiched between a pair of groundouts.
- The Deacs showed patience at the dish, drawing six walks in the top of the seventh to stretch the lead to 10-0.
- Relievers Matt Bedford and Troy Dressler combined to get the final three outs and seal the run-rule victory for the Demon Deacons.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
- One of the top-rated classes in the country, Wake Forest freshmen played a major part in the win on Tuesday.
- Starting pitcher Chris Levonas allowed just one hit over 4.0 innings, recording five of his 12 outs via the punchout.
- Left fielder Luke Costello shined in his first start of the season, singling through the left side in the second, doubling down the line in left in the fourth and laced a two-out single back up the middle in the fifth.
- Third baseman Dalton Wentz recorded his 11th multi-hit effort of the season and drove in two or more runs for the sixth time.
- Reliever Troy Dressler punched out the final batter of the game to secure the win for Wake Forest.
STAGGERING STATISTIC
- Wake Forest has held opponents to two runs or fewer nine times through the first 26 games of the season.
- The Demon Deacons become one of just four teams in the country to have five shutouts to this point of the season.
- The five shutouts so far during the 2025 season are tied for second all-time in program history.
- The Demon Deacons become one of just four teams in the country to have five shutouts to this point of the season.
| Rank | Total | Year | Games |
| 1. | 10 | 2023 | 66 |
| T2. | 5 | 2025 | 26 |
| T2. | 5 | 1998 | 66 |
| T2. | 5 | 1961 | 30 |
| T2. | 5 | 1955 | 36 |
FROM COACH WALTER
"The best parts about today were Chris Levonas was outstanding. That second inning was the difference in the game. He had bases loaded with nobody out, the game is still in doubt and he responds. He gets three-up, three-down on a popup to short, a punchout and a groundball. We're all of a sudden back in the dugout with no runs. It felt like that was the turning point of the game. The second thing I was really happy with was Nate Brittain today. It was really good to see him get two innings. His fastball was electric today. And then Luke Costello, who's a guy that hasn't played a whole lot, comes in and gets three hits in his first three at-bats, which was huge. Jimmy Keenan with a big triple there. It was good to see him get going a little bit. Good day for the Deacs. The fourth, and maybe the most important thing, we didn't throw any of our bullpen pieces today. We got a chance to rest [Josh] Gunther, [Griffin] Greene, [Zach] Johnston, [Luke] Schmolke and [Joe] Ariola. Those five guys who are five main bullpen pieces didn't need to throw today and that's huge for the weekend to set us up for Friday's game." - Head Coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest returns to David F. Couch Ballpark on Friday, Mar. 28 taking on Virginia Tech in a three-game conference series. First pitch for the weekend is set for 6 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.
FOLLOW THE DEACS
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Levonas, Chris (1-0)
L: Staiano, Mike (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Matt Scannell 1 ; Costello, Luke 1 ; Hawke, Austin 1
3B: Keenan, Jimmy 1
HR: Schaaf, Blake 1
RBI: Matt Scannell 1 ; Williams, Javar 1 ; Schaaf, Blake 2 ; Miller, Jackson 1 ; Wentz, Dalton 2 ; Keenan, Jimmy 1 ; Hawke, Austin 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Matt Scannell 1 ; Williams, Javar 1 ; Schaaf, Blake 2 ; Costello, Luke 3 ; Keenan, Jimmy 1 ; Hawke, Austin 2
SB: Williams, Javar 1 ; Schaaf, Blake 2
CS: Preisano, Ryan 1
Base Running:
SB: Alford, Jackson 1
CS: Yaghoubi, Tank 1
HBP: McGirt, Troy 1 ; Fattore, Vince 1
Game Leaders
AB
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RBI
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AB
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R
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H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
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