Friday, March 7
Winston-Salem, NC
6 p.m.
Wake Forest University
12-3, 1-0
19
vs
5
Notre Dame
8-2, 0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Notre Dame
0
0
3
0
0
2
0
5
3
0
Wake Forest
2
3
0
11
3
0
X
19
16
0
No. 15 Demon Deacons Explode for 19 Runs in ACC Opener
3/7/2025 10:19:00 PM | Baseball
The 19-5 victory saw Wake Forest score 11 runs in the fourth inning to help capture the series opener.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Powered by an 11-run fourth inning, the Wake Forest baseball team opened its ACC schedule with a dominant 19-5 victory over Notre Dame at David F. Couch Ballpark on Friday night.
All nine starters for the Demon Deacons (12-3, 1-0 ACC) recorded at least one hit against the Fighting Irish (8-2, 0-1 ACC) as Wake exploded for 16 hits and 18 RBIs.
After being up 5-3 through the first three innings, Wake Forest came alive with 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game out of reach. After sophomore Antonio Morales roped his second double of the game and a walk from graduate Matt Scannell, junior Marek Houston crushed his sixth home run of the season to put the Deacs up five.
Sophomore Kade Lewis added two more RBIs on a single up the middle three batters later, before coming around to score on a single from junior Jimmy Keenan. Wake Forest tacked on another run the next batter as Morales added his third hit of the game with an RBI single to make it 12-3.
Houston brought his RBI total for the inning to six with a bases-clearing, three-run double with two outs before scoring himself on junior Ethan Conrad's RBI single to close out the inning.
The Nakonis, Fla., native recorded his 10th RBI of the game with another three-run double in the fifth inning, tying the program record for the most RBIs in a single game.
On the mound for Wake Forest, junior Logan Lunceford continued his excellent start to the season as he matched his career-high with 13 strikeouts against the Fighting Irish. This was the second time that the Harrah, Okla., native has punched out 13 batters this season, matching his total against St. John's on Feb. 21.
With the 19 runs against Notre Dame, Wake Forest has now scored 15-or-more runs against an ACC opponent in each of the last four seasons. It also marked the most runs the Deacs have scored against an ACC opponent since they put up 20 against Pitt in back-to-back games during the 2023 season.
Already leading the country in strikeouts coming into the weekend, the Wake Forest pitching staff added 17 against the Fighting Irish, running the season total to 198. Already this season, the Demon Deacons have recorded 15 or more strikeouts in eight different contests, including four games with 17 or more.
HOW IT HAPPENED
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
STAGGERING STATISTIC
FROM COACH WALTER
"It's always good to get off to a good start in the league at home. Jack Radel is one of the best pitchers in the league and I was really happy with our approach against him all the way up and down the lineup. Everybody had good at bats today. It was obviously a big day for Marek Houston, but Jack Winnay, Kade Lewis and Antonio Morales also had good days as well. Logan Lunceford threw the ball well today. He had a couple of walks that came back to bite him just before home runs, but I was really happy with the way that he battled. They were getting on his fastball a bit, and he adjusted and went more offspeed to keep them off balance. Any time that you can go 5.0 innings and strike out 13, you're going to give your club a chance to win. Big win for the Deacs tonight. They have a lot of good arms left, so we'll have our hands full tomorrow and we'll have to play well. " - Head Coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest goes for the series win against Notre Dame tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.
FOLLOW THE DEACS
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
All nine starters for the Demon Deacons (12-3, 1-0 ACC) recorded at least one hit against the Fighting Irish (8-2, 0-1 ACC) as Wake exploded for 16 hits and 18 RBIs.
After being up 5-3 through the first three innings, Wake Forest came alive with 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game out of reach. After sophomore Antonio Morales roped his second double of the game and a walk from graduate Matt Scannell, junior Marek Houston crushed his sixth home run of the season to put the Deacs up five.
Sophomore Kade Lewis added two more RBIs on a single up the middle three batters later, before coming around to score on a single from junior Jimmy Keenan. Wake Forest tacked on another run the next batter as Morales added his third hit of the game with an RBI single to make it 12-3.
Houston brought his RBI total for the inning to six with a bases-clearing, three-run double with two outs before scoring himself on junior Ethan Conrad's RBI single to close out the inning.
The Nakonis, Fla., native recorded his 10th RBI of the game with another three-run double in the fifth inning, tying the program record for the most RBIs in a single game.
On the mound for Wake Forest, junior Logan Lunceford continued his excellent start to the season as he matched his career-high with 13 strikeouts against the Fighting Irish. This was the second time that the Harrah, Okla., native has punched out 13 batters this season, matching his total against St. John's on Feb. 21.
With the 19 runs against Notre Dame, Wake Forest has now scored 15-or-more runs against an ACC opponent in each of the last four seasons. It also marked the most runs the Deacs have scored against an ACC opponent since they put up 20 against Pitt in back-to-back games during the 2023 season.
Already leading the country in strikeouts coming into the weekend, the Wake Forest pitching staff added 17 against the Fighting Irish, running the season total to 198. Already this season, the Demon Deacons have recorded 15 or more strikeouts in eight different contests, including four games with 17 or more.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Starter Logan Lunceford recorded three strikeouts in the first to open the night against the Irish.
- Wake Forest jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one complete inning.
- Singles through the right side by Matt Scannell and Ethan Conrad put runners at the corners with one away in the bottom of the first for the Demon Deacons.
- First baseman Jack Winnay gave Wake the lead on a hit-and-run to plate Scannell and move Conrad to third.
- Sophomore Kade Lewis doubled the lead on a sac fly to put Wake Forest up a pair.
- Lunceford ran his strikeout total to six, punching out the side in the top of the second.
- The Deacs added three more runs in the bottom of the second to make it 5-0.
- Junior Austin Hawke started the inning with a single to left center and moved into scoring position on a walk from catcher Jimmy Keenan.
- Left fielder Antonio Morales laced an RBI double to the wall in left field to put the Deacs up by three.
- A wild pitch plated Keenan, and Morales scampered home on a sac fly from shortstop Marek Houston to cap the three-run frame.
- Notre Dame added three runs in the top of the third to cut the Wake lead to 5-3.
- With three more strikeouts, Lunceford ran his total to a dozen through the first four innings.
- Wake Forest pushed the lead out to 16-3 with 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth.
- Morales roped his second double of the game to put a runner in scoring position with one away.
- After a Scannell walk, junior Marek Houston mashed the first pitch he saw for a three-run home run to make it 8-3.
- Sophomore Kade Lewis continued the hot hitting with a single up the middle to score Conrad and Winnay.
- Wentz came around to score after catcher Jimmy Keenan singled to right field.
- Morales added his third hit of the night with an RBI single to extend the lead to 11-3.
- Houston recorded a three-run double to right center field with the bases loaded as he finished the inning with six RBIs.
- Conrad drove in Houston with a bloop single to left field to close out the 11-run inning.
- Lunceford recorded another shutdown inning as he brought his strikeout total to 13 on the evening.
- The Deacs added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, extending their lead to 19-3.
- Freshman Dalton Wentz became the ninth Demon Deacon to record a hit with an infield single.
- Following a walk and a hit by pitch, Houston mashed a three-RBI double to bring his total for the game to 10, tying the program record for the most RBIs in a single game.
- Notre Dame grabbed two runs in the top of the sixth.
- Sophomore Nate Brittain closed out the game in the top of the seventh as the Demon Deacon defense converted a game-inning double play to grab the 19-5 win.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
- Junior Marek Houston continued his incredible start to the 2025 season with a 3-for-4 performance with two doubles and a home run, while tying the program record for most RBIs in a single game with 10 runs driven in against Notre Dame.
- Houston has been outstanding for the Deacs this season, as he leads the team with 32 RBIs and is tied for the team lead with six home runs.
- Junior Logan Lunceford dominated on the mound on Friday night, recording 13 strikeouts across 5.0 innings pitched while only surrendering two hits.
- The 13 strikeouts equaled a career-high, matching his total from his win against St. John's on Feb. 21.
- The Harrah, Okla., native has been on fire this season, having struckout 42 batters across 20.0 innings while maintaining a 1.80 ERA.
- Sophomore outfielder Antonio Morales had one of his best games in a Demon Deacon uniform on Friday night, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and four runs scored.
- Sophomore Kade Lewis added another three-RBI performance against the Fighting Irish, as he went 2-for-3 at the plate.
- Lewis has been a welcome addition to the Demon Deacon lineup this season, having totaled 22 hits with three doubles, three home runs and 20 RBIs.
- Junior Jack Winnay added two hits and an RBI for the Demon Deacons on Friday night.
- Winnay has picked up right where he left off last season, as he is tied for the team lead with six home runs, while also adding five doubles, a triple, and 23 RBIs on the year.
- Junior Ethan Conrad was the fifth Demon Deacon to have multiple-hits against the Fighting Irish, finishing the game with two hits and an RBI.
STAGGERING STATISTIC
- Junior Marek Houston tied the program record for the most RBIs in a single game, recording 10 RBIs against Notre Dame:
| Rank | Name | Total RBIs | Date | Opponent |
| T1. | Marek Houston | 10 | Mar. 7, 2025 | Notre Dame |
| T1. | Chris Lanzili | 10 | Mar. 17, 2019 | Boston College |
| 3. | Gavin Sheets | 9 | Feb. 24, 2017 | USC |
| 4. | Justin Johnson | 8 | Apr. 22, 2023 | Pitt |
| 5. | Nick Kurtz | 7 | Apr. 7, 2024 | Virginia Tech |
- Junior Logan Lunceford matched his career-high with 13 strikeouts against the Fighting Irish, tying for the 10th most strikeouts in a single game in program history:
| Rank | Player | Strikeout Total | Date |
| 1. | Erik Hanson | 18 | Apr. 17, 1985 |
| 2. | Chase Burns | 16 | May 10, 2024 |
| T3. | Chase Burns | 15 | May 24, 2025 |
| T3. | Chase Burns | 15 | Apr. 5, 2024 |
| T5. | Chase Burns | 14 | Apr. 26, 2024 |
| T5. | Chase Burns | 14 | Mar. 29, 2024 |
| T5. | Chase Burns | 14 | Mar. 9, 2024 |
| T5. | Tim Cooney | 14 | Mar. 6, 2011 |
| T5. | John Stokoe | 14 | 1957 |
| T10. | Logan Lunceford | 13 | Mar. 7, 2025 |
| T10. | Logan Lunceford | 13 | Feb. 21, 2025 |
| T10. | 12 tied | 13 | Last: May 17, 2024 |
- All nine starters recorded at least one hit against the Fighting Irish, with five Demon Deacons recording multiple hits on Friday.
- The 11-run fourth inning was the first time that Wake Forest has scored 11-or-more runs in an inning since a 12-run fourth inning against Youngstown State on Feb. 26, 2023.
- With 19 runs against the Irish, Wake Forest has scored at least 15 runs in an ACC contest in four-straight seasons dating back to 2022.
- It marks the most runs in a conference game since the Demon Deacons scored 17 and 23 in back-to-back games at Pitt during the 2023 season.
FROM COACH WALTER
"It's always good to get off to a good start in the league at home. Jack Radel is one of the best pitchers in the league and I was really happy with our approach against him all the way up and down the lineup. Everybody had good at bats today. It was obviously a big day for Marek Houston, but Jack Winnay, Kade Lewis and Antonio Morales also had good days as well. Logan Lunceford threw the ball well today. He had a couple of walks that came back to bite him just before home runs, but I was really happy with the way that he battled. They were getting on his fastball a bit, and he adjusted and went more offspeed to keep them off balance. Any time that you can go 5.0 innings and strike out 13, you're going to give your club a chance to win. Big win for the Deacs tonight. They have a lot of good arms left, so we'll have our hands full tomorrow and we'll have to play well. " - Head Coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest goes for the series win against Notre Dame tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.
FOLLOW THE DEACS
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Logan Lunceford (3-0)
L: Jack Radel (1-1)
Batting:
HR: Bino Watters 1 ; Estevan Moreno 1 ; Nick DeMarco 1
RBI: Bino Watters 2 ; Estevan Moreno 2 ; Nick DeMarco 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Parker Brzustewicz 1 ; Bino Watters 2 ; Estevan Moreno 1 ; Nick DeMarco 1
Batting:
2B: Schaaf, Blake 2 ; Miller, Jackson 1 ; Nicholson, Grant 2
HR: Schaaf, Blake 1
RBI: Schaaf, Blake 10 ; Brennecke, Ryan 1 ; Miller, Jackson 1 ; Lewis, Kade 3 ; Keenan, Jimmy 1 ; Nicholson, Grant 2
SF: Schaaf, Blake 1 ; Lewis, Kade 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Matt Scannell 4 ; Schaaf, Blake 2 ; Brennecke, Ryan 2 ; Miller, Jackson 1 ; Lewis, Kade 1 ; Wentz, Dalton 2 ; Hawke, Austin 1 ; Keenan, Jimmy 2 ; Nicholson, Grant 4
SB: Schaaf, Blake 1 ; Miller, Jackson 1
HBP: Matt Scannell 1 ; Miller, Jackson 1 ; Wentz, Dalton 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
10
lf/2b
AB
3
R
4
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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INF
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1B
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RHP
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UTL
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INF
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