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  • No. 1 Wake Forest Earned A Hard-Fought Win Against The Georgetown Hoyas

No. 1 Wake Forest Earned A Hard-Fought Win Against The Georgetown Hoyas

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Baseball

In the last game before the start of conference play, the No. 1 Wake Forest baseball team earned a hard-fought, 11-9, victory over Georgetown Tuesday evening at David F. Couch Ballpark.

The Demon Deacons (11-1) struck out 14 Hoyas (6-6) and it marked the fourth-consecutive game with double-digit strikeouts and eighth time overall. Sophomore reliever Ben Shenosky led the team with a career-high four punchouts. 

With the win, Wake Forest improves to 10-0 at home this season and 39-3 since the start of last season.

Also in relief, William Ray completed his fourth-consecutive scoreless outing. The junior has allowed just one run in 10.2 innings pitched (0.88 ERA) with 12 strikeouts to just two walks.

Also in relief, sophomore Zach Johnston earned his first-career win as he went 1.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and just one baserunner allowed.

Graduate transfer David Falco closed out the ninth and earned his third save in a Wake Forest uniform and was the sixth Deac to record a strikeout Tuesday night.

Senior Jake Reinisch had a career day at the plate, as he finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs and a double. His four hits tied a career high and marked his first time doing so since his four-hit performance against North Carolina on March 15, 2022.

In addition to Reinisch, sophomore Jack Winnay, junior Nick Kurtz and graduate transfer Adam Tellier also recorded multi-hit games against the Hoyas. Winnay launched his team-best sixth home run of the season and finished 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a walk. 

Kurtz and Tellier went a combined 5-for-9 in the two and three holes, respectively, and each crossed the plate twice. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Georgetown grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. 
  • The Deacs got the run back in the bottom half on an error by the Hoyas. 
  • Wake Forest took a brief lead on Winnay's team-leading sixth home run over the batter's eye in center. 
  • The Hoyas put up a five-spot in the top of the third to take a 6-2 lead. 
  • Wake answered back with four runs of their own to tie the game at 6-6 after five complete innings. 
    • Tellier got the inning started with a single to left field. 
    • Kurtz walked to put the first two Deacs on base. 
    • Second baseman Austin Hawke added his 17th RBI of the year with a sacrifice fly to cut the lead down to two. 
    • After a Winnay walk to load the bases, pinch hitter Antonio Morales battled for the Demon Deacons third walk of the inning to cut the lead to one. 
    • Georgetown's third error of the night tied the game. 
  • With a runner on third and one out, freshman Josh Gunther got out of the jam with a strikeout and a flyout to left field. 
  • Wake Forest retook the lead with a three spot in the sixth.
    • Kurtz started the inning with a double and the Deacs took the lead on Reinisch's third hit of the night with an RBI double that he snuck just inside the first base line. 
    • Winnay followed Reinisch's lead with his third hit of the night to push the lead to 8-6. 
    • Georgetown's fourth and fifth errors of the night extended the Wake advantage to three. 
  • Georgetown got two back in the seventh to make it 9-8. 
  • The Deacs added a run in both the seventh and eighth on Reinisch's fourth hit of the night in the seventh and Tellier's third in the eighth to cap the scoring for Wake Forest. 
  • With the tying run at second base, Falco beared down to get the final two out and pick up his third save of the season in an 11-9 win. 


IN THE SPOTLIGHT

  • Reinisch recorded his first multi-hit game of the season, as the senior finished 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and three RBIs.
    • His four hits tied a career high and were his most in a game since his four-hit performance against North Carolina on March 15, 2022.
    • He has reached base in all but one game this season, including the last 10.
    • So far this season, the New York-native has racked up 12 hits, 13 RBIs, two home runs, six extra-base hits and 13 walks.
      • Additionally, he ranks fourth on the team in on-base percentage (.455) and slugging percentage (.548).


STAGGERING STATISTICS

  • In addition to his two hits, Kurtz earned two walks against the Hoyas, which marked his eighth-consecutive game with at least one free pass.
    • Kurtz entered the contest ranked first in the ACC and 17th in the nation with 1.33 bases on balls per game and has now drawn 16 total.
    • Additionally, the Pennsylvania-native now sits fourth all-time in Wake Forest history with 127 career walks, surpassing former teammate Brock Wilken.
      • Rank   Name               Years               Career Walks
      • 1.         Pat Blair           2010-13            180
      • 2.         Allan Dykstra   2006-08            170
      • 3.         Matt Antonelli  2004-06            128
      • 4.         Nick Kurtz        2022-Pres.        127
      • 5.         Brock Wilken   2021-23            126


FROM COACH WALTER
"That was a gritty win. I was really happy with our energy there in the middle innings. I thought the guys did a good job battling. Obviously, when you go down 6-2, that is never where you want to be. But our guys strung some at-bats together. We had three two-out RBIs that were clutch for us from Jack Winnay, Jake Reinisch and Adam Tellier that gave us some separation which was obviously huge. 

We didn't throw as many strikes as we wanted to today. We walked six and hit six, anytime you give out 12 free passes they can win the game. I'm really happy with how Zach Johnston threw the ball in the seventh and the eighth innings which gave us five big outs. Again, Jake Reinisch had a really big day for us today. Jack Winnay had another good day for us. It was a good team win and we have to get ready for Duke." - head coach Tom Walter
UP NEXT
Wake Forest will now prepare for conference play, which begins with a three-game series against Big Four rival Duke this weekend (March 8-10) at David F. Couch Ballpark.