No. 12 Wake Forest’s 15‑Game Win Streak Snapped by No. 16 Coastal Carolina

The Demon Deacons saw their historic win streak come to an end at the hands of the Chanticleers.

Wake Forest outfielder Javar Williams (14) runs towards home plate during a NCAA regional baseball game between Cincinnati and Wake Forest at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on May 30, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Tuesday night, the No. 12-ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons suffered just their second loss of the season. The program's 15-game win streak, which included sweeps of Siena and Stanford, came to a close with a 10-4 loss to No. 16 Coastal Carolina.

Cameron Bagwell, the starting pitcher for the Deacons, managed to give head coach Tom Walter a solid start against a relentless Chanticleers lineup. The right-handed pitcher threw 4.2 innings while allowing just two earned runs on four hits and two walks.

It was a meltdown in the seventh inning that really sealed Wake Forest's fate. Coastal Carolina's Colby Thorndyke set the tone for the inning with a leadoff homerun, and things only got worse from there. Luke Schmolke and Troy Dressler both made appearances in the inning, but neither could slow down the Chanticleers.

The Deacons allowed seven earned runs on just five hits, three walks, and a hit-by-pitch. While head coach Tom Walter and his squad was bound to suffer a loss at some point this season, having one inning define the entire game doesn't soften the blow, even if it came against a top-20 team.

A Needed Reset in Week Two of ACC Play

May 25, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Wake Forest head coach Tom Walter watches the game agains Florida State during the ACC Baseball Tournament at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

It's no secret that conference play, especially in the ACC, is completely different from the out-of-conference part of the season. And now that Wake Forest is already in the thick of it, the grind only intensifies from here. The Demon Deacons won’t get much of a breather until they face Western Carolina on May 9–10.

While Coastal Carolina is an extremely talented baseball team, the timing couldn’t have been worse for Wake Forest. The loss came right as the Deacons were trying to settle into the rhythm of ACC play, and it was fueled by rough bullpen performances that felt more self‑inflicted than anything the Chanticleers forced.

The Demon Deacons have to regroup immediately, because they are being thrown straight back into the fire with a three-game series against Florida State. What's even worse is that Wake Forest will be facing a pissed off group of Seminoles after their midweek loss to No. 23 Florida.

While many programs see Florida State as a daunting opponent, it's likely that Walter sees it as more of a challenge for his ballclub. While losing a top-20 matchup is unfortunate heading into the heat of ACC play, the Wake Forest head coach now gets to see what his team is made of.

Even with Tuesday’s stumble, they’ve already shown the traits of a team built to withstand tougher lineups and better pitching. The program's 15-game win streak, even if it came against below-average competition, is proof of that.