Wake Forest Athletics
Friday, April 17
Winston-Salem, N.C.
8 p.m.
Wake Forest University
26-13, 10-9
22
vs
1
NC State
25-13, 8-8
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Wake Forest | 1 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | X | 22 | 16 | 1 |
Wake Forest Dominates NC State to Open Series
4/18/2026 12:53:00 AM | Baseball
The Demon Deacons homered four times in the first three innings to grab control of the contest.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Powered by a career night from junior second baseman Blake Schaaf and production throughout the lineup, Wake Forest rolled past NC State, 22-1, in seven innings on Friday night at David F. Couch Ballpark.
Schaaf turned in one of the top individual performances of the season, finishing 4-for-5 with two home runs, seven RBIs and four runs scored to lead the Demon Deacons' 16-hit effort.
After NC State struck first in the opening frame, center fielder Javar Williams answered immediately with a leadoff home run in the bottom half. Williams finished with two hits, four runs scored and two stolen bases, setting the tone at the top of the order.
Wake Forest seized control in the second inning. Schaaf's go-ahead grand slam highlighted a seven-run frame before first baseman Kade Lewis added a two-run home run later in the inning to push the lead to 8-1.
The Deacs continued to add on in the third, as Schaaf connected for his second home run of the night, a two-run shot. Lewis and designated hitter Matt Conte each drove in runs in the inning as Wake Forest extended its lead into double digits.
Wake Forest put the game away in the sixth, scoring 10 runs on six hits. Catcher Jimmy Keenan capped the inning with a three-run home run, while freshman JD Stein added a two-run blast and Conte delivered a two-RBI single.
Keenan finished with two hits, three RBIs and four runs scored, while Stein added two hits and two RBIs. Lewis went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and two walks, and Conte drove in three runs.
On the mound, sophomore Chris Levonas earned the win, allowing one run on two hits with six strikeouts over 3.1 innings. Junior Blake Morningstar closed the game with three scoreless innings, striking out five to earn his first career save.
HOW IT HAPPENED
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
STAGGERING STATISTICS
"Great team win. Certainly don't expect that to happen against somebody as talented as Heath Andrews, but we stacked some good at-bats together there. In the second inning, was really proud of our guys. Matt Conte had a great walk. Boston Torres goes backside with two strikes. Jimmy Keenan lays off some pitches, trying to bunt. Blake Schaaf homers to give us the lead. I was proud of Chris Levonas. He didn't have his good stuff today, threw 34 pitches in the first inning. He was kind of gassed after the first, but he kept battling and found a way to get seven more outs after that. I was really happy with him and how he battled for us today. Zach Johnston, with a great bridge. Quite honestly, the story of the day for me, and our team, and this team's season is Blake Morningstar. It was the old Blake today. It was the first time in a long time that we've seen the velocity, the sink on the fastball, the cutter, the breaking ball, even threw a couple of good change-ups. So, really pleased with Blake today. Up and down the lineup, had good at-bats, Javar Williams gets us on the board with an opening homer. Obviously, Blake Schaaf had an unbelievable day, and Jimmy Keenan had a good day, too. Proud of our club. We're going to have a tough game tomorrow. Cooper Consiglio is a really good arm, and they've got a locked and loaded bullpen. We're certainly going to have to play well. Hopefully our guys get rest tonight and come ready to play." - Head Coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest will look to clinch the series tomorrow with first pitch set for 4 p.m. ET on ACCNX.
FOLLOW THE DEACS
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Schaaf turned in one of the top individual performances of the season, finishing 4-for-5 with two home runs, seven RBIs and four runs scored to lead the Demon Deacons' 16-hit effort.
After NC State struck first in the opening frame, center fielder Javar Williams answered immediately with a leadoff home run in the bottom half. Williams finished with two hits, four runs scored and two stolen bases, setting the tone at the top of the order.
Wake Forest seized control in the second inning. Schaaf's go-ahead grand slam highlighted a seven-run frame before first baseman Kade Lewis added a two-run home run later in the inning to push the lead to 8-1.
The Deacs continued to add on in the third, as Schaaf connected for his second home run of the night, a two-run shot. Lewis and designated hitter Matt Conte each drove in runs in the inning as Wake Forest extended its lead into double digits.
Wake Forest put the game away in the sixth, scoring 10 runs on six hits. Catcher Jimmy Keenan capped the inning with a three-run home run, while freshman JD Stein added a two-run blast and Conte delivered a two-RBI single.
Keenan finished with two hits, three RBIs and four runs scored, while Stein added two hits and two RBIs. Lewis went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and two walks, and Conte drove in three runs.
On the mound, sophomore Chris Levonas earned the win, allowing one run on two hits with six strikeouts over 3.1 innings. Junior Blake Morningstar closed the game with three scoreless innings, striking out five to earn his first career save.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- NC State got on the board with a two-out single in the top of the first.
- Junior center fielder Javar Williams got the run back immediately, launching a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right.
- The home run marked his eighth of the year, leaving the bat at 98 mph, traveling 379 feet.
- Starting pitcher Chris Levonas settled in with a 13-pitch top of the second, including his fourth strikeout of the evening.
- Wake Forest broke the game up with seven runs in the second.
- Designated hitter Matt Conte got the inning started with a leadoff walk.
- Junior Boston Torres singled through the left side to put a pair of runners on.
- Catcher Jimmy Keenan walked to load the bases with no outs.
- Second baseman Blake Schaaf cleared the bases with his first home run as a Demon Deacon, clearing the wall in left-center to make it 5-1 on the 381-foot blast.
- After the first out of the inning, Williams earned the third walk of the frame and moved into scoring position on a stolen base.
- Sophomore Dalton Wentz slapped a single into left field to plate Williams and bring home the fifth run of the inning.
- With the third home run in the first two innings, first baseman Kade Lewis took a 2-1 breaking ball over the scoreboard to cap the scoring and make it 8-1.
- Levonas worked around a pair of walks for a shutdown inning in the top of the third.
- The Demon Deacons added four more runs in the bottom of the third to make it 12-1.
- Keenan got the inning started with a single to left-center.
- Schaaf launched his second home run of the night, just missing the scoreboard in right field to make it 10-1.
- After Williams reached on a fielder's choice, four straight free passes brought home a pair of runs to stretch the lead to double digits.
- Senior Zach Johnston entered with one out and a pair of NC State runners in scoring position, getting out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout in the top of the fourth.
- Junior Blake Morningstar worked a pair of scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth to keep the Wake Forest advantage at 12-1.
- The Demon Deacons scored 10 runs in the sixth inning, their most in a single frame this season.
- Keenan reached on a fielding error in right and took third to spark the inning.
- Schaaf lined a sharp RBI single to right, bringing Keenan home.
- Williams followed with a hard-hit single to center, pushing Schaaf to third.
- Wentz worked a walk to load the bases.
- Luke Costello delivered a productive sacrifice fly to center, plating Schaaf.
- Lewis drew another walk to reload the bases.
- Conte ripped a two-RBI single into the outfield, scoring Williams and Wentz.
- A wild pitch allowed Conte to move into scoring position while Lewis raced home.
- Pinch hitter Tyler Figueroa battled for a walk to keep the inning alive.
- Keenan crushed a towering three-run home run, capping his second plate appearance of the inning.
- Schaaf stayed hot with a line-drive single up the middle.
- Stein launched a no-doubt two-run home run to finish off the explosive frame.
- Morningstar earned the first save of his career with a three-up, three-down top of the seventh.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
- Wake Forest's 21-run margin of victory matched the largest margin of victory in program history against NC State, equalizing the 27-6 result in 1902.
- Additionally, it marked the second straight game that all nine starters recorded a hit for the Demon Deacons.
STAGGERING STATISTICS
- After launching a season-high five home runs on Tuesday against No. 7 Coastal Carolina, the Demon Deacons followed it up with six against the Wolfpack to open the series.
- It marks the most home runs in a two-game span for Wake Forest since hitting 11 across the two games against Alabama in the 2023 Winston-Salem Super Regional.
- Wake moves to 18-4 when leaving the yard this season and is 13-1 on the year when hitting multiple home runs.
- The Deacs have scored 10 or more runs 15 times this season, holding a perfect record in those contests.
- Additionally, Wake Forest has scored seven runs or more in 16 of 21 games at The Couch.
- Additionally, Wake Forest has scored seven runs or more in 16 of 21 games at The Couch.
"Great team win. Certainly don't expect that to happen against somebody as talented as Heath Andrews, but we stacked some good at-bats together there. In the second inning, was really proud of our guys. Matt Conte had a great walk. Boston Torres goes backside with two strikes. Jimmy Keenan lays off some pitches, trying to bunt. Blake Schaaf homers to give us the lead. I was proud of Chris Levonas. He didn't have his good stuff today, threw 34 pitches in the first inning. He was kind of gassed after the first, but he kept battling and found a way to get seven more outs after that. I was really happy with him and how he battled for us today. Zach Johnston, with a great bridge. Quite honestly, the story of the day for me, and our team, and this team's season is Blake Morningstar. It was the old Blake today. It was the first time in a long time that we've seen the velocity, the sink on the fastball, the cutter, the breaking ball, even threw a couple of good change-ups. So, really pleased with Blake today. Up and down the lineup, had good at-bats, Javar Williams gets us on the board with an opening homer. Obviously, Blake Schaaf had an unbelievable day, and Jimmy Keenan had a good day, too. Proud of our club. We're going to have a tough game tomorrow. Cooper Consiglio is a really good arm, and they've got a locked and loaded bullpen. We're certainly going to have to play well. Hopefully our guys get rest tonight and come ready to play." - Head Coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest will look to clinch the series tomorrow with first pitch set for 4 p.m. ET on ACCNX.
FOLLOW THE DEACS
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Levonas, Chris (8-2)
L: Andrews, Heath (3-2)
S: Morningstar, Blake (1)
Batting:
2B: Bargo, Dalton 1
RBI: Head, Ty 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nixon, Luke 1
SB: Nixon, Luke 1
HBP: DeCarlo, Vincent 1
Batting:
HR: Stein, JD 1 ; Lewis, Kade 1 ; Schaaf, Blake 2 ; Williams, Javar 1 ; Keenan, Jimmy 1
RBI: Wentz, Dalton 1 ; Stein, JD 2 ; Lewis, Kade 3 ; Schaaf, Blake 7 ; Conte, Matt 3 ; Costello, Luke 1 ; Williams, Javar 1 ; Keenan, Jimmy 3
SF: Costello, Luke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wentz, Dalton 3 ; Stein, JD 1 ; Lewis, Kade 2 ; Schaaf, Blake 4 ; Conte, Matt 2 ; Figueroa, Tyler 1 ; Williams, Javar 4 ; Torres, Boston 1 ; Keenan, Jimmy 4
SB: Williams, Javar 2
HBP: Wentz, Dalton 1 ; Costello, Luke 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
4
H
4
RBI
7
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
4
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballSpring Camp Media Availability (4/14/26) | Wake Forest Football
Tuesday, April 14
Spring Camp Media Availability (4/11/26) | Wake Forest Football
Saturday, April 11
Spring Camp Media Availability (4/9/26) | Wake Forest Football
Thursday, April 09
Spring Camp Media Availability (4/7/26) | Wake Forest Football
Tuesday, April 07