No. 16 Wake Forest Sees Win Streak Reach Double Digits with Win Over LMU

Saturday, February 28

Winston-Salem, N.C.

3:30 p.m.

Wake Forest University

10-1

LMU

4-8

Loyola Marymount University

Wake Forest

No. 16 Wake Forest Sees Win Streak Reach Double Digits with Win Over LMU

2/28/2026 7:12:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

The Demon Deacons will look to close out a perfect 4-0 weekend tomorrow against Davidson at 2:30 p.m.

By: Dylan Shackleford

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Behind six near-perfect innings of work from sophomore righthander Chris Levonas, the No. 16 Wake Forest baseball team (10-1) extended its winning streak to 10-consecutive games Saturday afternoon following its 15-4 win over LMU (4-8) at David F. Couch Ballpark.

Levonas earned the win with a stellar performance as the righty fanned a career-high 14 batters, the most by a Wake Forest player this season and allowed zero hits and zero walks. The only baserunners allowed were two third-strike drops.

The Holmdel, N.J.-native struck out the side three times and got through his six innings of work on just 74 pitches. His 14 strikeouts put him tied for fifth all-time for a single game in program history and the most since Chase Burns had 15 against North Carolina on May 24, 2026.

This weekend, Wake Forest starting pitching has combined for 18.0 innings pitched, zero runs allowed and 33 strikeouts.

Out of the pen, freshman Ryan Bosch recorded a strikeout in the seventh before freshmen Marcelo Harsch and Tyler Wood made their collegiate debuts. Graduate student Will Ray made his first appearance in exactly one year to the day and got out of a jam with just one pitch.

Offensively, the Deacs finished the game with a season-high 14 hits with sophomores Jackson Miller and Dalton Wentz the way with three apiece, both extending their hitting streaks to five games. Of note, each of the first five batters in the lineup all recorded multiple hits and multiple runs batted in Saturday afternoon.

Wentz opened the scoring in the first with a solo home run to left-center before knocking in another run with a double down the left field line in the seventh for his team-leading 15th and 16th RBI of the season. The third baseman has knocked in at least one run in eight of his 11 games so far this season, including seven of the last eight.

Coming off of a five-RBI performance yesterday, Miller increased his batting average to a team-best .481 with a 1.183 OPS and now has 12 runs batted in this season after his two today.

Junior Kade Lewis and sophomore Matt Conte both launched their second home runs of the campaign, with Conte's three-run shot in the seventh securing the run rule victory. Junior Javar Williams went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and is now batting .341 on the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Levonas took the mound and retired the first three batters in order on just eight pitches.
- The Demon Deacons have not allowed a baserunner in the first inning through the three games this weekend.
Wentz put Wake Forest on the board with a solo shot to right-center field in the bottom of the first for his team-leading fourth home run of the season and 15th RBI.
- Following a double from Conte, Miller knocked him in with a single through the left side and extended the lead to 2-0.
Levonas continued to control the game as he racked up six strikeouts with no hits allowed through three innings of work.
Williams led off the bottom of the third with a double off the right-field wall before a first-pitch homer to left-center from Lewis to make it 4-0.
After two more strikeouts in the third from Levonas, Keenan caught a Lion stealing to send the Deacs' into the fourth inning with a four-run advantage.
The righty struck out the side again and set a new career-high with 11 after five innings of work.
Wake Forest loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth before Keenan knocked a run in to extend the lead to 5-0.
- Hawke drew a seven-pitch walk to send in another run.
- On the very next pitch, Williams sent two more in with a single into left field.
Levonas capped off his night by striking out the side again in the sixth, leaving the game with 14 strikeouts and no hits allowed.
The Demon Deacon bats made it 11-0 in the bottom half of the inning with RBI from Miller and Preisano.
The Lions got on the board with four runs in the top of the seventh.
Wake Forest responded immediately and reinstated the 10-run advantage to secure the victory.
- After walks from Williams and Lewis to leadoff the inning, Wentz knocked in one before a walkoff three-run shot from Conte.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Levonas delivered one of the most dominant outings in recent program history, earning the win behind a lights-out performance on the mound. The Holmdel, N.J., native struck out a career-high 14 batters — the most by a Demon Deacon this season — while allowing no hits and no walks across six shutout innings. The only two baserunners reached via dropped third strikes.
The right-hander struck out the side three separate times and needed just 74 pitches to complete his six innings of work. His 14 punchouts are tied for fifth-most in a single game in program history and mark the highest total since Chase Burns fanned 16 against North Carolina on May 10, 2026.
Levonas' outing continued a dominant weekend for Wake Forest's starting rotation, which has combined for 18.0 scoreless innings and 33 strikeouts.

Single Game Strikeouts - Wake Forest History

Rank	Name	Date	Strikeouts
1.	Erik Hanson	April 17, 1985	18
2.	Chase Burns	May 10, 2024	16
T3.	Chase Burns	May 24, 2024	15
T3.	Chase Burns	April 6, 2024	15
T5.	Chris Levonas	February 28, 2026	14
T5.	Chase Burns	April 26, 2024	14
T5.	Chase Burns	March 29, 2024	14
T5	Chase Burns	March 9, 2024	14
T5.	John Stokoe	1957	14
T5.	Tim Cooney	March 6, 2011	14
T10.	Chase Burns	May 10, 2024	13
T10.	Chase Burns	May 4, 2024	13
T10.	Chase Burns	March 16, 2024	13

STAGGERING STATISTICS

During Wake Forest's 10-game win streak, the Deacs have outscored opponents 95-to-24 and became the third ACC team to reach double-digit victories, joining Georgia Tech and Clemson.
Demon Deacon starting pitchers have combined for 18.0 scoreless innings and 33 strikeouts this weekend through three games.
- Levonas struck out 14 of the 19 batters he faced and 54 of his 74 pitches were strikes.

FROM COACH WALTER
"It was a good team win. Levonas was outstanding. He was thrown four pitches for strikes, pounding the zone and getting ahead. He did everything you want. We certainly could have sent him back out there in the seventh. He was only at 74 pitches. We had a couple long innings where he sat down and just this time of year there's no reason to push that and such a special arm. We've got to protect him. Bosch threw the ball well and could have got a call on the check swing. Then Harsch threw the ball better than the numbers show. It was good to see Will Ray out there in a big situation, get a big out, and I'm sure we'll have Will tomorrow. The top of our order got it done today. One through five all had a good day for us. The big hit of the game was Javar's ball through the six hole there with two outs, nobody on. We get the homer from Wentz in the first and then Conte doubles and Miller singles. I love that we're generating some innings with two outs and nobody on. Another game tomorrow and we got to finish this weekend. We've played well so far, but we've got to come out and get a good start out of Reese Bowie tomorrow. We're a little lighter in the bullpen than I hope that would be. I was hoping to save Will Ray for tomorrow. We've got Johnston and Jones that haven't thrown yet. We can extend both those guys, if need be. We should get Dresseler and Whysong back. Bosch can come back right. Ray can come back. So we certainly have plenty of bullets tomorrow, but need a good start out of Bowie." - Head Coach Tom Walter

UP NEXT
Wake Forest will wrap up the weekend against Davidson tomorrow, March 1. First pitch against the Wildcats is set for 2:30 p.m. ET on ACCNX.

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