Winston-Salem, NC – After going a perfect 3-0 in the Winston-Salem Regional last weekend, No. 1 overall seed Wake Forest hosts No. 16 national seed Alabama in Winston-Salem’s first ever Super Regional at David F. Couch Ballpark from Saturday, June 10-Monday, June 12.
The first game of the Winston-Salem Super Regional will take place on Saturday, June 10 at Noon ET before the teams return to The Couch on Sunday, June 11 with the time to be determined.
If necessary, the Deacs and Crimson Tide will finish the Super Regional in a winner-take-all game on Monday, June 12 with the time to be determined.
Saturday’s Noon ET opener against the Crimson Tide will air on ESPN with the remaining games to be determined after all of the Super Regional games on Saturday are completed.
Fans can tune into an audio streaming broadcast presented by Harris Teeter through the Wake Forest Athletics app for all Demon Deacons’ games during the Winston-Salem Super Regional.
Stay tuned to Wake Forest’s social media accounts (@WakeBaseball) for all in-game updates and information.
WINSTON-SALEM SUPER REGIONAL FAN INFORMATION
With regard to the Canadian wildfires, Wake Forest encourages all fans attending the NCAA Super Regional against Alabama inside David F. Couch Ballpark and the DEACTOWN Fan Zone inside Truist Field to monitor their own health symptoms and be aware of related potentially hazardous air.
Festivities on Saturday will begin at 10 a.m. and Wake Forest Athletics will announce later this week when this Fan Zone will open prior to the Sunday and Monday (if necessary) contests. This will be a great destination for all fans with tailgating options, live music, video screens, local drink selections from R&D Brewing, fun and a variety of food trucks and vendor options. Additionally, Wake Forest Athletics will provide experiences for fans of all ages. Admission to this area is FREE and all fans must enter through Gate 5 of Truist Field. Fans are welcome to enjoy the atmosphere prior to entering Couch Ballpark to watch the game or to remain in the DEACTOWN Fan Zone area to watch the action on multiple screens.
Fans MUST ENTER from Reynolds Blvd. due to heavy traffic for other events on Deacon Blvd. & University Parkway.
RECORD-BREAKING CROWDS CREATE ELECTRIC ENVIRONMENT AT DAVID F. COUCH BALLPARK IN 2023
Deacon Nation showed tremendous support at David F. Couch Ballpark in 2023 as multiple attendance records were broken during the regular season.
Overall, this year’s season attendance of 54,721 fans set a new program record. This includes record-breaking crowds during the NCAA Regional opener against George Mason Friday night and its final game of the weekend against the Patriots when the Deacs had a sellout crowd of 3,823 fans in each game.
Over the course of the season, Deacon Nation broke weekend attendance records three times, highlighted by the current weekend attendance record of 8,096 fans over the course of the final weekend series of the regular season.
On May 19, Wake Forest set a new single-game regular season attendance record against Virginia Tech (May 19) with an attendance of 3,023.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
This is the Demon Deacons’ 15th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and the only time in program history Wake Forest has been selected as the No. 1 overall seed.
Wake Forest has made two College World Series appearances, highlighted by winning the program’s first national championship in 1955. Overall, the Demon Deacons hold a 48-31 record at the national tournament.
Additionally, the Deacs are the first ACC team to be selected as the No. 1 overall seed since 2013 (North Carolina) and are the eighth ACC team to be the No. 1 overall seed in the national tournament since 1999.
This marks Wake Forest’s third Super Regional Appearance in program history (1999 and 2017).
FIRST WINSTON-SALEM SUPER REGIONAL EVER
In front of record-breaking crowds inside David F. Couch Ballpark all weekend, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons baseball team went a perfect 3-0 en route to a regional championship. The title means that Winston-Salem will be one of the eight Super Regional hosts for the 2023 NCAA Baseball Tournament, its first ever time hosting a Super Regional in program history.
With its win over George Mason to clinch the regional title, the Deacs became the first team in program history and the nation to reach the 50-win mark.
The Deacs’ 48 runs scored over the course of the regional is the second-highest total in the opening rounds in their NCAA Tournament history:
– 50 in four games (1999)
– 48 runs in three games (2023)
– Most runs per game in NCAA opening round history (16.0 runs/game).
– 44 in five games (2001)
– 37 in four games (2002)
– 33 in four games (1998)
Additionally, its +41 run differential last weekend is tied for fourth since the start of the current NCAA format in 1999:
National Run Differential in Regionals
1. Florida State, 2009 (+49)
2. Notre Dame, 2021 (+45)
3. Arizona State, 2003 (+42)
T-4. LSU, 2000 (+41)
T-4. Wake Forest, 2023 (+41)
Wake Forest’s pitcher fanned 50 batters over the three games in the Winston-Salem Regional while only walking 10.
Offensively, the Deacs launched seven home runs and had 10 players notch at least one base hit. Eight Deacs players in the starting lineup posted an on-base percentage of .425 or better.
NO. 1 NATIONAL SEED FOR THE FIRST TEAM EVER
The Wake Forest baseball team was selected to the 2023 NCAA Baseball Tournament as the No. 1 national seed, as announced on ESPN2 on Monday afternoon
“To be the No. 1 national seed is a tremendous accomplishment for our program,” head coach Tom Walter said. “To do that, you have to demonstrate both consistency and toughness. We have battled through four season-ending injuries on the mound, four temporary injuries to key position players and rebounded quickly from tough losses. Our Deacon Nation has shown up for this team in droves during the second half of this season. Friday night will be an electric atmosphere. We look forward to seeing everyone at The Couch!”
This is the Demon Deacons’ 15th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and the only time in program history Wake Forest has been selected as the No. 1 overall seed.
Wake Forest NCAA Tournament Appearances
1949
1955
1962
1963
1977
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2007
2016
2017
2022
2023
Wake Forest has made two College World Series appearances, highlighted by winning the program’s first national championship in 1955. Overall, the Demon Deacons hold a 45-31 record at the national tournament.
In 2017, Wake Forest hosted West Virginia, Maryland and UMBC at David F. Couch Ballpark. After going a perfect 3-0, the Deacs advanced to the Gainesville Super Regional, where Wake Forest fell in three games to the eventual national champion Gators.
The Deacs are the first ACC team to be selected as the No. 1 overall seed since 2013 (North Carolina) and are the eighth ACC team to be the No. 1 overall seed in the national tournament since 1999.
ACC Seeds as No. 1 Overall Seeds Since 1999
Wake Forest- 2023
North Carolina- 2013
Virginia- 2011
Miami- 2008
Clemson- 2006
Florida State- 2003
Florida State- 2002
Miami- 1999
NO. 1 FOR THE FOURTH-STRAIGHT WEEK
Wake Forest headed into the NCAA Tournament as the unanimous No. 1 ranked team in the nation for the first time in program history.
The Deacs are currently No. 1 in the RPI and hold a 35-10 record against top-100 RPI teams.
The Demon Deacons’ .833 winning percentage is the highest in the nation.
Wake Forest started the year 13-0, joining the 1949 Deacs, who hold the program’s best open to a campaign at 20-0, as the only teams in school history to win its first 13 games.
ACC REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS
Wake Forest clinched the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championship title with a 7-3 win over Florida State on May 13.
This marks Wake Forest’s fourth ACC regular-season title in program history, with the last coming in 1963 (1955, 1962 1963).
ACC Regular Season Championships
2023
1963
1962
1955
Additionally, the victory helped Wake Forest win its first ever ACC Atlantic Division Championship since the league started divisions in 2006.
Wake Forest became the first No. 1 seed to successfully advance out of pool play of the ACC Championships since the conference switched to its current championship format in 2017 after going a perfect 2-0 in the opening games of the tournament against eighth-seeded Notre Dame and 12th-seeded Pitt.
MOST WINS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
The Demon Deacons posted another program record with its 48th win of the season in its first game of the Winston-Salem Regional.
Wake Forest set a program record for regular season wins with its 4-0 shutout victory on Tuesday, May 16 against UNC Wilmington.
Overall, this year’s ballclub is the only team in program history to win 50 games.
Wake Forest Baseball 40+ Win Seasons
2023- 50 overall wins (45 regular season, five postseason)
2002 – 47 overall wins (42 regular season, five postseason)
1999 – 47 overall wins (39 regular season, eight postseason)
2001- 44 overall wins (37 regular season, seven postseason)
2017 – 43 overall wins (38 regular season wins, five postseason)
This marks the eighth 40-win season in program history. The 2023 Deacs are just the second team in program history to reach the mark in the regular season (2002).
After its 14-4 midweek win against UNC Greensboro, this year’s squad became the fastest team in program history and the first team in the nation this year to reach the 40-win mark.
Fastest to 40 Wins
2023: 47 games
2002: 49 games
1999: 53 games
2001: 55 games
2022: 58 games
2017: 58 games
2000: 59 games
1998: 61 games
Wake Forest has not lost back-to-back games this season and posted win streaks of at least five games three times this season.
PITCHING STAFF AMONG BEST IN THE COUNTRY
Wake Forest’s pitching staff continues to rank as one of the premier groups in the entire nation.
The Demon Deacon pitching staff leads the nation in hits-per-nine innings, strikeouts, strikeouts-per-nine innings, WHIP, strikeout-to-walk ratio, shutouts and ERA, while ranking second nationally in walks-per-nine.
CategoryNationalACCERA (2.78)11WHIP (1.04)11K-to-BB Ratio (4.35)11Hits-Per-Nine (6.57)11Strikeouts (709)11Ks-Per-Nine (12.1)21Shutouts (10)11BBs-Per-Nine (2.78)21
Wake Forest has fanned double-digit batters in 40 games this season and have held opponents to three runs or less in 43 games.
RAKE FOREST
The Deacs lead the ACC in walks (second nationally), slugging percentage, on-base percentage and scoring while ranking in the top six of every offensive category in the conference.
CategoryNationalACCWalks (395)21Slugging % (.545)121On-Base % (.433)71Scoring (9.3)51HRs (117)92Runs (556)92Average (.308)204Hits (637)215Doubles (125)396
Wake Forest’s entire offensive lineup holds an on-base percentage over .335. Additionally, the first seven batters in the Demon Deacon lineup have tallied an on-base percentage of at least .375, led by Nick Kurtz (.552).
DEACS FLOOD ACC AWARD LISTS
Wake Forest baseball placed a league high and tied a program best with nine selections to the 2023 All-Atlantic Coast Conference teams, as announced on Monday afternoon.
Josh Hartle (first team), Rhett Lowder (first team), Sean Sullivan (first team), Nick Kurtz (first team), Justin Johnson (first team), Tommy Hawke (second team), Brock Wilken (second team), Seth Keener (third team) and Camden Minacci (third team) earned recognition for their efforts in helping Wake Forest post its greatest regular season in program history.
Wake Forest’s nine honorees led the league and tied the 2017 team for the most all-conference honorees in program history. Hartle, Lowder, Sullivan, Kurtz and Johnson’s selections marked the most first team honors in Wake Forest history.
Head coach Tom Walter was named the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Deacs to its best regular season ever.
Lowder was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year for the second-straight season.
PROGRAM-RECORD THREE DEACS NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR THE GOLDEN SPIKES
A program-record three Deacs were named semifinalists for the 2023 Golden Spikes Award, as announced by USA Baseball on Monday afternoon.
Josh Hartle, Nick Kurtz and Rhett Lowder were selected to the 25-player semifinalist list for the annual award given to the nation’s top amateur players from the high school and college ranks, tying for the most representatives in the nation with LSU.
The trio became the fourth, fifth and sixth Deac since 2007 to be named as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.
Wake Forest’s Golden Spikes Award Semifinalists
Allan Dykstra 2007
Allan Dysktra 2008
Wil Craig 2016
Stuart Fairchild 2017
Josh Hartle 2023
Nick Kurtz 2023
Rhett Lowder 2023
RUN DIFFERENTIAL DRIVING DEACS SUCCESS
Wake Forest has outscored opponents in every inning this season and by double-digits in eight frames this season.
Wake Forest Scoring Summary by Inning (Wake Forest-Opponent)
First Inning: 90-15
Second Inning: 50-23
Third Inning: 76-19
Fourth Inning: 68-28
Fifth Inning: 89-29
Sixth Inning: 45-17
Seventh Inning: 58-23
Eighth Inning: 60-26
Ninth Inning: 20-18
Overall, the Deacs are outscoring opponents by a 556-198 mark.
Wake Forest has scored in the first inning in 33 games this season, posting a 29-4 record in those games. Additionally, the Deacs are 38-4 when they score first.
Wake Forest’s +6.0 run differential per game leads the nation.
Much of Wake Forest’s success has been fast starts as the Deacs have outscored opponents by a mark of 216-57 in the opening three innings.
RHETT LOWDER… BACK-TO-BACK ACC PITCHER OF THE YEAR
For the second year in a row, Wake Forest baseball righthander Rhett Lowder was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year.
After becoming the first Demon Deacon ever to receive the award last season, Lowder is just the second pitcher in conference history to garner back-to-back Pitcher of the Year honors (Danny Hultzen, 2010-11).
Last week, Lowder was named one of five finalists for the National Pitcher of the Year award given out by the College Baseball Foundation for the second-straight year.
Lowder heads into Super Regionals as the nation’s leader in wins (14), while leading the ACC in ERA (second in the nation), innings pitched and strikeouts. In ACC play, Lowder finished the regular season leading the conference in those same categories.
Lowder blanked a conference opponent four times this season (Miami, Louisville, BC and Florida State). The Albemarle, N.C. native has been awarded ACC Pitcher of the Week three times after such performances.
Dating back to last season, Lowder has allowed three earned runs or less in 30 of his last 32 starts and has gone at least six innings in 29 starts.
Lowder’s 14 victories this season is tied for the most in a single season in program history. Additionally, the righthander has posted the most victories in a two-year period ever by a Demon Deacon hurler.
Wake Forest Single Season Wins
1. Rhett Lowder 2023 14
Kyle Sleeth 2002 14
Mike MacDougal1999 13
John Hendricks 1998 13
5.Scott Siemon 1999 12
6. Rhett Lowder 2022 11
Scott Siemon 2000 11
Moe Bauer 1950 11
Over the course of his career, Lowder has won 29 games, which is tied for the third most in program history and the most among active players in Division I baseball.
Wake Forest Career Wins
1. John Hendricks (1996-99)- 34
2. Kyle Sleeth (2001-03)- 31
3. Rhett Lowder (2021-Pres.)-29
Frank Humber (1986-89)- 29
5. Parker Dunshee (2014-17)- 28
6. Scott Siemon (1998-01)- 25
Mike MacDougal (1997-99)- 25
Lowder’s 125 strikeouts this season is good for third in Wake Forest single-season history, passing Mike MacDougal (1999) with 11 Ks against Maryland in the Winston-Salem Regional.
Wake Forest Single Season Strikeouts
1. Mike Buddie 1992 138
2. Griffin Roberts 2018 130
3. Rhett Lowder 2023 125
4. Mike MacDougal 1999 117
5. Kyle Sleeth 2002 113
Additionally, Lowder (308 career strikeouts) is in sole possession of the third-most strikeouts by a Demon Deacon ever as the righthander is just the third pitcher ever to strike out 300 batters in their career. This mark is good for third among active pitchers in Division I baseball.
Wake Forest Career Strikeouts
1. Parker Dunshee 2014-17 330
2. John Hendricks1996-99 312
3. Rhett Lowder 2021-Pres 308
Lowder Record Watch
CategoryRank (Number)Single-Season WinsT-1st (14)Career Strikeouts3rd (308)Single-Season Strikeouts3rd (125)Career WinsT-3rd (29)
In his second career NCAA Tournament start, Lowder fanned 11 in six innings while allowing just four base runners. He got off to a quick start, retiring the first 11 batters of the game. Additionally, he struck out eight of the nine batters in the Maryland order at least once.
In his final start of the 2023 regular season, Lowder put together a remarkable performance, striking out a career-high 12 batters for his career-best and nation-leading 12th win of the season. The first seven outs of Lowder’s 14th start came via the strikeout. The righthander struck out the side in the first and tallied multiple strikeouts in four of his six frames.
In 2022, Lowder became the first Demon Deacon in program history to be named ACC Pitcher of the Year, the third Unanimous All-American in program history and the first Demon Deacon ever to be named a finalist for the Collegiate Pitcher of the Year Award.
BABY KEEN
Seth Keener continues to be a major contributor of the Wake Forest pitching staff both our of the bullpen and as a starter.
Keener currently ranks second in the nation in WHIP (.82) and 11th in ERA (2.23).
Keener put together a career performance in his start against George Mason in Wake Forest’s opening game of the Winston-Salem Regional, striking out 13 batters over seven scoreless innings. This marked the most strikeouts by a Demon Deacon since 2020 first round pick Jared Shuster (March 7, 2020 vs. Louisville).
WILKEN BECOMES WAKE FOREST HOME RUN KING
After setting career highs in hits (69). home runs (23), RBIs (77) and doubles (13) in 2022, Brock Wilken looks to cement himself as one of the best hitters in Wake Forest and ACC history this season.
Wilken made history against Coastal Carolina as the Valrico, Fla. native broke Wake Forest’s career home run record with his 59th collegiate long fly in the third inning. Wilken broke a 20-year record set by Jamie D’Antona in 2003.
Wilken broke the single-season program record for home runs in the bottom of the seventh in Wake Forest’s regular season finale on May 20 with his 25th long fly of the season. Wilken is currently third in the nation (first in the ACC) in long flies after hitting a pair in the ACC Championships. Additionally, Wilken has hit the most career long flies among active players in Division I baseball.
Wake Forest Single Season Home Runs
1. Brock Wilken 2023 27
2. Brendan Tinsman 2022 24
Billy Masse 1988 24
4. Nick Kurtz 2023 23
Brock Wilken 2022 23
Wilken is now chasing the ACC career home run record. The Valrico, Fla. native is now two HRs away from tying the conference’s top mark:
ACC Career Home Run Leaders
1. Anthony Maisano, GaT/WF* (1986-90)- 69
J.D. Drew, Florida State (1995-97)- 69
3. Brock Wilken, Wake Forest (2021-Pres)- 67
4. Pat Clougherty, NC State (1991-94)- 61
Wilken has posted a .353 batting average with 76 hits, 14 doubles, 77 RBIs, 64 walks, 82 runs scored (the most in the ACC) and a .805 slugging percentage.
Wilken needs four more base knocks to join the 200-hit club.
SULLY MAKING IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Sean Sullivan has made an immediate impact in the Old Gold and Black, registering a 2.61 ERA in 62.0 innings to go along with 101 strikeouts, 18 earned runs and 18 walks allowed. Additionally, opponents are batting just .168 against the lefthander.
Sullivan tossed three scoreless innings on Sunday to help Wake Forest clinch the Winston-Salem Regional title against George Mason. The left hander struck out seven of the 11 batters he faced, highlighted by striking out the side in the sixth.
For his efforts to open the season, Sullivan received back-to-back ACC Pitcher and Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week honors to open the season.
Sullivan made his first appearance since May 6 in Wake Forest’s final game of the 2023 ACC Baseball Championships, retiring the first seven batters he faced. Overall, Sullivan pitched 2.2 innings with a trio of punchouts.
Sullivan earned his third win of the 2023 season, tossing seven innings while striking out a career-high tying 11 strikeouts, his fourth double-digit strikeout performance of the season.
Behind another electric outing from Sullivan, Wake Forest defeated Mount St. Mary’s 18-2 in the opening game of the second weekend. Sullivan retired the first 16 batters of the game and had a perfect game through 5.1 innings. Overall, Sullivan punched out 11 and allowed just one baserunner in his six hitless innings of work.
Sullivan impressed in his Demon Deacon debut in Wake Forest’s 8-1 victory against Illinois on Saturday as the Andover, Mass. native struck out 10 batters while allowing just two hits and one walk in four scoreless innings to earn the save.
Sullivan tallied at least two strikeouts in all four innings, highlighted by his trio of punchouts in the seventh and ninth. Additionally, Sullivan didn’t allow more than one base runner in all four relief frames.
HAWKE ‘EM
After leading the team with the fourth-highest batting average by a freshman in program history (.380) last year, Tommy Hawke has continued to be impactful at the top of Wake Forest’s lineup.
Hawke ranks in the top 10 among conference competitors in walks (fifth), runs (sixth), hits (seventh) and doubles (ninth).
Hawke held the second-longest reached base streak (45 games) in the nation snapped in Wake Forest’s opening ACC series at Duke.
Overall, Hawke has reached base safely in 106 of his career 118 appearances and is currently 15th among active Division I players in on-base percentage (.482).
HARTLE CONTINUES TO DEAL IN YEAR TWO
Josh Hartle has accumulated a 10-2 record with a 2.59 ERA through 90.1 innings to go along with 120 strikeouts, a new career high which ranks second in the ACC. The lefthander has allowed just 26 earned runs and has only walked 19 batters.
Currently, Hartle is the ACC leader in strikeout-to-walk ratio while ranking in the top 10 in every other category.
Hartle has allowed two earned runs or less in 13 of his 16 starts this year.
Hartle has struck out at least 10 batters in three starts this season and has walked more than one batter in just two of his outings. In each of his first three appearances, Hartle either set or tied his previous career-high strikeout mark.
Heading into Super Regionals, Hartle is currently fourth on Wake Forest’s single strikeout list.
Wake Forest Single Season Strikeouts
1. Mike Buddie 1992 138
2. Griffin Roberts 2018 130
3. Rhett Lowder 2023 125
4. Josh Hartle 2023 120
After Sunday’s victory, Josh Hartle became the 12th pitcher in program history to reach double-digit wins in a season.
Wake Forest Single Season Wins
1. Rhett Lowder 2023 14
Kyle Sleeth 2002 14
3. Mike MacDougal 1999 13
John Hendricks 1998 13
5. Scott Siemon 1999 12
6. Rhett Lowder 2022 11
Scott Siemon 2000 11
Moe Bauer 1950 11
9. Josh Hartle 2023 10
Parker Dunshee 2016 10
Kyle Sleeth 2001 10
John Hendricks 1999 10
Jeremy Ward 1998 10
Ross Atkins 1995 10
Mike Buddie 1992 10
Lefty Davis 1955 10
NICKY NUKES
After one of the greatest seasons by a Wake Forest freshman in school history, Nick Kurtz has impressed during his sophomore season.
Kurtz leads the ACC in walks per game, home runs per game, on-base percentage, runs per game and slugging percentage.
Currently, Kurtz ranks in the top 15 among Division 1 players in career on-base percentage (third) and slugging percentage (sixth).
Kurtz launched a pair of home runs in Wake Forest’s win against Notre Dame in Durham, marking his fourth multi-home run game of the 2023 season (sixth of his career). The two blasts helped the sophomore move into a tie for the fourth-most home runs by a Demon Deacon in a single season.
Wake Forest Single Season Home Runs
1. Brock Wilken 2023 27
2. Brendan Tinsman 2022 24
Billy Masse 1988 24
4. Nick Kurtz 2023 23
Brock Wilken 2022 23
Since returning to Wake Forest’s lineup on April 16, Kurtz has posted team bests in average (.424), runs (39), hits (36), home runs (13), RBIs (37), walks (34), slugging percentage (.941) and on-base percentage (.602).
Kurtz received his second ACC Player of the Week honor on April 24 for his performance during Wake Forest’s 3-1 week, leading Wake Forest at the plate in with team highs in batting average (.583), home runs (three), RBIs (13), walks (nine), runs scored (eight), slugging percentage (1.417) and on-base percentage (.762).
In Wake Forest’s run-rule win over No. 5 Coastal Carolina, Kurtz launched a grand slam to extend the Demon Deacon lead to 9-1.
The sophomore was vital in Wake Forest’s seventh ACC series win of the season against Pitt, leading the team with a .600 average, two home runs, 11 RBIs, a 1.300 slugging percentage and a .750 on-base percentage.
On Saturday, April 22, Kurtz tallied nine RBIs with a three-run home run, two-RBI double and a pair of two-RBI singles.
Kurtz’s nine RBIs are tied for the second-most runs driven in by a Wake Forest batter ever, joining Chris Lanzilli (2019), Gavin Sheets (2017), Warren Sawkiw (1990) and Paul Reinisch (1989) as the only Deacs to drive in nine or more runs in a game.
Kurtz earned the first ACC Player of the Week honors of his career after leading Wake Forest at the plate in its perfect 4-0 opening weekend with a team-high tying .500 batting average to go along with a team-high tying six hits, team-high tying four home runs, team-best 10 RBIs and team-best eight runs scored. Additionally, Kurtz led the team with a 1.500 slugging percentage, seven walks and .684 on-base percentage.
Kurtz registered the 100th hit of his career in the series finale at Louisville on Sunday.
CERTIFIED STOPPER CAMDEN MINACCI
A staple out of Wake Forest’s bullpen the last two seasons, Camden Minacci earned the 11th and 12th saves of his junior season after inducing the final three outs of Wake Forest’s weekend victories against Virginia Tech. The career-best mark leads the ACC and is seventh in the nation. Additionally, Minacci is now tied for the fifth-most saves in a single season by a Demon Deacon.
Over the course of his career, Minacci has registered 20 saves as the Tampa, Fla. native is in sole possession of the second-most saves by a Demon Deacon ever. Currently, Minacci is fifth among active players in Division I baseball in career saves.
Most Saves by a Demon Deacon
1. Dave Bush 1999-02 38
2. Camden Minacci 2021-pres. 20