Wake Forest Bats Shine in Midweek Run-Rule of UNCG
On Tuesday night, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons squared off against the UNC Greensboro Spartans at David F. Couch Ballpark. After securing a massive series win over the weekend against the N.C. State Wolfpack, the Deacons continued to show why they're one of the most dangerous teams in the ACC.
By this point in the season, you can just expect the Wake Forest pitching staff to perform during the midweek. Once again, right-hander Duncan Marsten gave the Deacons a quality start on the mound, throwing five no-hit innings against the Spartans. He also logged six strikeouts and walked just three batters as well.
While head coach Tom Walter's pitching staff has impressed in recent weeks, it was the offense that set the tone for the midweek matchup.
An Offense Finally Finding Its Form
In three of their last four games, the Demon Deacons have scored 14 or more runs per game. That isn't just a hot stretch of hitting. That's the kind of production that Wake Forest could see on a nightly basis. The best part? The Deacons are finding some consistency on offense at the right time.
That consistency is being fueled by guys like Kade Lewis, Jackson Miller, and Javar Williams, with all three Deacons hitting over .340 at the plate this season. Add power threats like Matt Conte—who homered twice in the run-rule win over UNC Greensboro—and the lineup can contend with the best programs in the country.
It's worth noting that even Wake Forest shortstop JD Stein has found his groove at the plate over the past few games. The freshman is currently on a five-game hitting streak that includes three multi-hit games as well. Over that five-game stretch, Stein has raised his batting average from .239 to .271.
The NCAA Tournament Picture Is Coming Into Focus
With the college baseball season well past its halfway point, discussions surrounding who will be participating in the NCAA Tournament have started to unfold. For now, the Deacons are firmly in the Field of 64 with the No. 23-ranked RPI in the country.
In the most recent Field of 64 projection, Wake Forest was expected to be the No. 2-seed in the Conway Regional. That would mean a potential rematch with the No. 9-ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.
Wake Forest will have a massive opportunity to jump back into the Top-25 if they can pull off an upset over No. 3 Georgia Tech this weekend. The Yellow Jackets have been one of the more dominant teams in the ACC this season, but dropped their first weekend series of the year against the No. 2-ranked North Carolina Tarheels.
If the lineup continues to perform, and the pitching staff can give Coach Walter some quality length this coming weekend, Wake Forest could make some major noise in Atlanta this weekend.
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Carson, a 2025 TCU graduate, is a sports journalist who covers college athletics for several On SI sites. While most of his experience is with TCU On SI, he also writes with Wake Forest On SI and Houston On SI. He also has a passion for the college baseball scene, most notably being a fan of TCU Baseball. In 2023, Carson was in Omaha and reported on the Men’s College World Series, where TCU finished 4th in the nation. His past work not only consists of major sports like football, basketball, and baseball, but with others like track and field and cross country as well.