Wake Forest Baseball is off to a hot start, sweeping their first weekend of the season in style with wins against the Long Island University Sharks and Marist Red Foxes.
Star shortstop Marek Houston not only lived up to preseason expectations but exceeded them, earning ACC Player of the Week honors for his performance over the three-day, four-game weekend. Houston now leads the conference in six batting categories, including hits (10), home runs (3), and RBIs (13).
Not only is Houston off to a historic start, but the entire team is — the Demon Deacons have earned 11+ runs in each of the first four games for the first time in program history. Head Coach Tom Walter’s lineup also leads the country in runs (63), doubles (19), extra-base hits (28) and RBI (60).
Friday vs. LIU
On opening day, the Demon Deacons battled against the LIU Sharks as starter and Missouri transfer Logan Lunceford took the mound to open up Team 111’s season.
Lunceford started his Demon Deacon career strong, pitching four scoreless frames with seven strikeouts and only allowing three Long Island batters on base.
Meanwhile, the batting lineup showed out quickly, with all 14 runs coming in the first four innings of play. The Demon Deacons got four runs on the board in the first inning after junior Jack Winnay singled, bringing in runners Houston and Marist transfer Ethan Conrad.
Houston would continue his success later on in the game, launching the Demon Deacons’ first home run of the season: a bases-loaded, two-out grand slam to up the score to 14-0.
Lunceford would pass pitching duties over to relievers Griffin Green, Rhys Bowie and Nate Brittain, who would run-rule the Sharks into their first win of the season, winning 14-2.
Friday vs. Marist
On the back half of a doubleheader, the Demon Deacons kept up their output on both sides of the diamond to defeat the Marist Red Foxes.
Pitchers Joe Ariola, Matt Bedford, Will Ray, Luke Schmolke and Luke Billings combined for 15 strikeouts and only allowed two earned runs. They were also backed up by fantastic defensive performances, especially from the corners of the diamond.
“Defensively in game two, I was really happy,” Walter said. “Kade Lewis made two great plays at first base, Dalton Wentz with a nice diving play at third [base].”
Offensively, Houston continued his hot start, hitting a home run in the fifth inning and finishing the game with two hits and two RBIs. Conrad added two doubles and three RBIs.
The Demon Deacons went on to win the game 11-4, in the only game that lasted nine innings all weekend.
“Anytime you get two wins in one day, it’s a good day,” Walter said.
Saturday vs. LIU
The Demon Deacons took the Sharks on yet again Saturday night, battling through tough, wet weather conditions to run-rule Long Island in seven innings, 14-0.
Despite the tough conditions throughout his first start, Tennessee transfer Matthew Dallas dealt throughout most of his 4.1 innings of work, finishing with nine strikeouts and a scoreless outing in his Demon Deacon debut.
On the offensive end, most of Wake Forest’s production came from their first three batters in the lineup: Houston, Conrad and Princeton transfer Matt Scannell. Each player batted for a combined seven hits, seven runs and nine RBI.
Sophomore designated hitter Ryan Preisano would also record his first collegiate hit in style, knocking a ball over the left-center field wall to bring the Demon Deacons up 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Conrad then brought in two runners on a double, putting the Demon Deacons up early.
At the plate, Walter’s lineup would also produce in the bottom of the fifth inning, knocking in five runs overall. Scannell powered a ball to left-center field to bring in runners Javar Williams, Antonio Morales and Conrad, who would knock in a two-run double later in the inning.
On the hill, the Demon Deacons remained impeccable, as relievers Josh Gunther and Dylan Zucker only needed a combined 40 pitches to seal their scoreless 2.2 combined innings and seal a 14-0 win for the Demon Deacons.
Sunday vs. Marist
The fourth game of the weekend brought tons of offense for the Demon Deacons, taking down the Red Foxes, 24-6.
Sunday starter Blake Morningstar had a strong beginning of the season, striking out two of the first three batters he faced in the first inning. The sophomore would allow some momentum to the Red Foxes in the fourth inning, finishing his day with a line of four innings pitched and two earned runs.
Meanwhile, the offense got started early and scored often. Already up 5-0 in the bottom of the second inning, Winnay launched a bases-loaded bomb to left-center field, blowing the game open and allowing the Demon Deacons to take a momentous 9-0 lead.
Winnay wouldn’t be the only batter to send a ball over the wall, either. Austin Hawke, Chris Katz and Conrad each homered in the fifth and sixth innings, with Katz’s home run putting the Demon Deacons up 20-3.
High-quality relief appearances from Troy Dressler, Zach Johnston and Will Ray would settle the final game into a run-rule, 24-6.
“On the mound, I was happy with our bullpen all weekend,” Walter said postgame Sunday. “I feel really good about our position players and our bullpen right now. I’m happy with our club.”
The Demon Deacons now look to continue their momentum with a mid-week matchup at UNC Greensboro before returning to David F. Couch Ballpark to face the St. John’s Red Storm next weekend.
