No. 24 Wake Forest Run-Rules Liberty Behind Bagwell’s One-Hitter

Tuesday, March 17

Winston-Salem, N.C.

4 p.m.

Wake Forest University

16-5

Liberty

13-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Liberty	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Wake Forest	0	1	1	0	0	0	9	11	10	0

Photo by: Seth Seebaugh / Wake Forest Athletics

No. 24 Wake Forest Run-Rules Liberty Behind Bagwell’s One-Hitter

3/17/2026 7:12:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Sophomore right-hander Cameron Bagwell recorded a career-high nine strikeouts over the course of 7.0 shutout innings.

By: KJ Smith

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Behind a dominant performance from sophomore starting pitcher Cameron Bagwell, the No. 24 Wake Forest baseball team (16-5, 3-3 ACC) secured an 11-0 run-rule win over Liberty (13-6, 1-2 CUSA) on Tuesday afternoon at David F. Couch Ballpark.

Bagwell recorded his best performance in a Wake Forest uniform, logging a career-high nine strikeouts while allowing one hit over 7.0 shutout innings. The Pineville, N.C., native allowed only two baserunners over the course of his start, and did not allow a hit after the third batter of the game.

Additionally, Bagwell dropped his earned run average by nearly a run as he dropped down to a 2.77 ERA with his performance.

Junior first baseman Kade Lewis led the Demon Deacons offensively as he went 3-for-4 with an RBI single in the nine-run seventh inning.

Sophomore Dalton Wentz returned to form against the Flames as he tallied a pair of hits and two RBIs. The Madison Heights, Va., native hit a solo home run in the third inning, before adding an RBI single in the seventh.

Juniors Javar Williams and Blake Schaaf both added RBIs on Tuesday, with Williams opening the game with an RBI single in the second and Schaaf hitting a two-run double in the seventh. Meanwhile, sophomore right fielder Luke Costello launched a three-run, walk-off home run for his team-leading eighth deep ball of the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Starting pitcher Cameron Bagwell opened the game with a scoreless frame in the top of the first.
- The Pineville, N.C., native picked up his second strikeout of the game to close out a spotless second inning on the mound.
Following back-to-back walks with two outs, junior center fielder Javar Williams drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single in the second.
Bagwell continued to deal on the mound as he punched out two batters in a shutdown third inning.
Sophomore third baseman Dalton Wentz extended the Wake Forest lead as he lasered a leadoff home run to right field in the bottom of the third.
The Demon Deacons produced another shutdown frame in the top of the fourth, as Bagwell retired his 10th straight hitter.
Bagwell closed out a scoreless fifth inning with a nifty pickoff move to get the runner out at first base.
- The sophomore struck out the side in the sixth as he set a new career-high with eight strikeouts for the afternoon.
The Deacs loaded the bases in the home half of the sixth, but they were unable to tack on to their lead.
Bagwell logged his ninth strikeout en route to another clean frame in the seventh.
Wake Forest plated nine runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 11-0 run-rule victory over the Flames.
- After sophomore right fielder Luke Costello scored on a fielder's choice, junior Blake Schaaf doubled down the left field line to make it 5-0.
- Senior Jimmy Keenan came across to score on a wild pitch to push the lead to six runs.
- Lewis added another run with an RBI single up the middle, plating Schaaf.
- Wentz poked a single into left field to score Williams and make it 8-0.
- Costello belted a three-run bomb that sneaked past the foul pole in right field for the walk-off win.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Sophomore right-hander Cameron Bagwell was lights out against Liberty on Tuesday night as he tossed a career-high nine strikeouts while allowing one hit and a walk over 7.0 shutout innings.
- This matched the Pineville, N.C., native's longest outing of his career.
- Bagwell did not allow a hit after the third batter of the game.
  - The only other baserunner of the game was picked off at first base to end the fifth inning.
- With the performance, Bagwell's earned run average dropped by nearly an entire run as he dropped down to a 2.77 ERA for the season.

STAGGERING STATISTICS

One of the keys to the Deacs' success over the last five years has been scoring first, as Wake Forest has gone 121-35-1 in games in which they got on the board first since the 2022 season.
- Under Tom Walter, Wake is 330-128-1 when scoring first, including a 10-0 mark to start the 2026 campaign.

FROM COACH WALTER
"Cam Bagwell was certainly the difference tonight. I thought he was outstanding. That's about as good as you can pitch right there. He had four pitches working throughout the game. They were all really good pitches. He had a good mix. He held his velocity. I think he was still throwing up to 94 in the sixth. He started to lose a little velocity there in the seventh, but I'm really pleased with his outing. We needed it, because we had a bunch of opportunities early that we couldn't convert offensively. I think we only got one hit over the first 14 at-bats with runners on base. We hit into a couple of double plays. They gave us a bunch of free passes that we didn't cash in on until the seventh inning. We started to cash those opportunities in, but if it's a different score, they probably go to a different set of bullpen guys in that game, and that game changes. I was quite honestly hoping we were going to play the eighth and the ninth because I wanted to get Marcelo Harsch in there and continue to build him. I'm a little disappointed that he didn't get to pitch, but I'm obviously thrilled with the win and I'm happy to get back in the plus column." - Head Coach Tom Walter

UP NEXT
The Demon Deacons head on the road this weekend for an ACC series against No. 9 Virginia at Disharoon Park. The series opens on Friday, March 20, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.

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