No. 21 Wake Forest Blanks Washington for First Win of 2026 Season

Saturday, February 14

Ponce, Puerto Rico

7:30 p.m.

Wake Forest University

1-1

Washington

0-2

Washington

Wake Forest

No. 21 Wake Forest Blanks Washington for First Win of 2026 Season

2/15/2026 2:36:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

The Demon Deacons recorded 20 strikeouts as a staff on Saturday evening.

PONCE, Puerto Rico – The No. 21 Wake Forest baseball team bounced back with a 5-0 shutout victory over Washington on Saturday evening at Estadio Francisco Montaner.

The Demon Deacons' pitching staff struck out 20 Huskies to record their first shutout of the season and the program's eighth since the start of 2025. The 20 strikeouts tie for the second-most in a game for Wake Forest since 1999.

Wake Forest allowed just four hits on Saturday night, with starting pitcher Chris Levonas working 3.2 innings with nine strikeouts to earn the win. The bullpen covered the final 5.1 innings, striking out 11 batters to complete the shutout.

Senior left-hander Zach Johnston allowed no hits over 1.1 innings with a pair of strikeouts before sophomore Rhys Bowie surrendered just one hit across 3.0 innings with six strikeouts.
Making their Demon Deacon debuts, sophomore Cameron Bagwell and freshman Evan Jones combined to strike out the side in the ninth inning to cap the shutout.

Offensively, senior catcher Jimmy Keenan delivered the big blow for the Demon Deacons with a bases-clearing double in the second inning. The three RBIs marked his highest total since hitting a grand slam against Clemson last season.

Junior center fielder Javar Williams continued his hot start, collecting two hits for the second straight night, both bunt singles.

Freshman JD Stein picked up his first RBI as a Deac, lacing a double to the left-center wall to add an insurance run.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Levonas worked around trouble in the top of the first, recording his first strikeout of the season to end the inning.
The sophomore settled in, striking out the side in the second for the Demon Deacons.
Wake Forest added four runs in the bottom of the second to grab an early advantage.
- Designated hitter Matt Conte lasered a double into left field, beating the throw with a beautiful slide around the tag from the Huskies' shortstop.
- Freshman right fielder Andrew Costello drew a walk to put two on with nobody out.
- Showing off his elite speed, Williams beat out a bunt single to load the bases.
- Keenan unloaded on a 1-1 pitch to unload the bases with a double to the wall in left-center to put Wake Forest on the board.
  - Keenan came around to score on a wild pitch, extending the Demon Deacons' lead to 4-0 after two complete innings.
After giving up a leadoff double, Levonas recorded three more strikeouts to bring his total to seven and keep Washington off the scoreboard.
Wake Forest threatened again in the third but were unable to add to their advantage.
The Huskies loaded the bases in the fourth as senior lefty Zach Johnston relieved Levonas with two away in the frame.
- Johnston recorded Wake's 10th strikeout of the night to keep Washington scoreless.
Johnston kept the Huskies at bay in the fifth getting through the inning without allowing a hit, while recording his second strikeout.
Bowie made quick work of Washington in the sixth with a pair of punchouts.
In the bottom half, freshman shortstop JD Stein picked up his first career RBI with a double off the wall to stretch the Wake Forest lead.
Bowie added two more in the seventh to continue the shutout.
- The Haworth, N.J. native recorded his fifth and sixth strikeouts of the night in the eighth, capping a 3.0 inning, one-hit performance.
Bagwell and Jones added a trio of strikeouts in the ninth to cap the 5-0 victory.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

One of the keys to the Deacs' success over the last four years has been scoring first, as Wake Forest has gone 112-35-1 in games where they got on the board first since the 2022 season.
- Wake Forest struck for four runs in the second inning to set the tone against the Huskies.

STAGGERING STATISTICS

Since the start of the 2023 season, Wake Forest has 2,137 strikeouts. Nationally, the Demon Deacons rank third over this time span, trailing only LSU and Tennessee.
- Wake Forest finished the 2025 season with 37 games with 10 or more strikeouts, including 11 games with 15 or more punchouts.
The Demon Deacons' pitching staff struck out 20 Huskies to record their first shutout of the season and the program's eighth since the start of 2025. The 20 strikeouts tie for the second-most in a game for Wake Forest since 1999, including nine by Levonas, a pair by Johnston, six by Bowie, two by Bagwell and the final out by Jones.

FROM COACH WALTER
"Obviously, really happy with our pitching today. Too many free passes, but we punched out 20, which is incredible. Chris Levonas and Zach Johnston – I was really proud of Zach today. Coming in in a big spot and getting big outs for us. Rhys Bowie gives us three good innings, and then Evan Jones closes it out. So, obviously, really happy with the way we threw it. Jimmy Keenan had a great day today. Defensively, threw a guy out, made four or five really good blocks and then hit the big double to get us on the board. I thought we gave away some chances early with the bases loaded and nobody out, probably could have broken the game open there. It was good for us to have a closer game and fight all the way to the end. Happy with the way the guys played, and hopefully we can build on it for tomorrow." - Head Coach Tom Walter

UP NEXT
Wake Forest concludes play in the 2026 Puerto Rico Challenge tomorrow against Indiana State. First pitch against the Sycamores is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET on Victory+.

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