Wake Forest Gearing Up for Weekend Series vs. Siena
Wake Forest’s 2026 baseball season got off to a successful start this past week, with the team claiming victories over Washington, Indiana State, and High Point, but falling to Houston in somewhat debilitating fashion. Despite that disappointing loss to the Cougars in the season opener, the Demon Deacons are in a good spot heading into their second weekend of play against Siena.
The Siena Saints, who play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, are 0-3 after getting swept by UCF last weekend. None of the games were particularly close, either. UCF won 16-0 in seven innings on Feb. 13, 13-1 on Feb. 14, and then 15-0 on Feb. 15. Yikes. Not fantastic.
If all goes to plan, Wake Forest will replicate UCF’s success against Siena in its three-game series that’s set to commence on Feb. 20. While 15-run blowouts might not be expected, winning certainly is. Wake Forest is a top-25 program and a squad with Omaha aspirations. Falling to a team like Siena is frankly unacceptable, and pretending otherwise is foolhardy.
On that pleasant note, let’s look at what Wake Forest fans can expect from this weekend’s series with Siena.
Can Morningstar Bounce Back After a Disappointing Start?
To say that Blake Morningstar’s 2026 debut was lackluster would be an understatement. The Demon Deacons’ ace lasted just three innings against Houston on Feb. 13, allowing five runs (only four were earned) on five hits. He struck out two and walked two more. He also hit two batters.
Everything that seemed to go right for him in 2025 just went haywire in the 8-2 defeat to Houston. His command was off. Needless errors in the field — one of which he committed himself — cost him precious pitches. In the end, he exited the game prematurely.
This weekend’s series against Siena, a team that’s struggled to open the campaign to say the least, provides Morningstar with an opportunity to bounce back. As a team, Siena is hitting just .145 with a measly OPS of .348. Putting up a good effort against this lineup is imperative. Based on Morningstar’s long track record, it’s safe to assume he’ll be up to the task.
Lewis and Wentz’s Time to Shine is Now
Heading into the season, Wake Forest’s lineup was supposedly headlined by Kade Lewis and Dalton Wentz. Both had spectacular 2025 seasons, and both seemed poised to repeat the feat in 2026. While the sample size is small — Wake Forest has played just four games — neither impact bat has been, well, super impactful.
OK, before you raise your voice, here's the reasoning. Yes, Lewis’ .820 OPS through his first 15 at-bats is pretty good. He has a home run, two RBIs, two walks, and one run scored to his name thus far. But those figures aren’t nearly what was expected. He’s supposed to be the masher, the thumper, the bopper. As he goes, Wake Forest’s lineup goes. So, yes, Lewis is having a fine start to the season. It’s certainly not abysmal. But more is expected.
The same goes for Wentz, who’s struggling. He has just two hits so far, but he has scored four runs and reached base three times via walks. While he hasn’t been connecting for base hits, his patience has paid off. Eventually, everything will come into place, and Wentz will start to become the impact bat he’s supposed to be.
To cut a long story short, everything’s going to be okay for Lewis and Wentz. Pressing the panic button is a fool’s game this early, but it would be nice for both players to have a good weekend.
Siena’s Lackluster Weekend Featured Few Breakouts
On a team that scored a combined one run in its first three games, is it possible for there to be any hitters who are feared? Perhaps not, but Siena features a couple of names that had quality opening weekends.
Jake Sparks collected two hits over his first six at-bats. He also recorded a walk. His RBI drove in Siena’s lone run of the weekend against UCF. Nick Bergamotto also had two hits on the weekend over the course of eight at-bats.
And that’s about it. Yeah, it was a sad weekend for Siena.
What’s Next for Wake Forest Baseball?
Wake Forest’s series with Siena will start on Feb. 20 with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. EST. Game two of the series will start at 4 p.m. EST on Feb. 21, with the finale set for 1 p.m. EST on Feb. 22.
Seth Dowdle is a 2024 graduate of TCU, where he earned a degree in sports broadcasting with a minor in journalism. He currently hosts a TCU-focused show on the Bleav Network and has been active in sports media since 2019, beginning with high school sports coverage in the DFW area. Seth is also the owner and editor of SethStack, his personal hub for in-depth takes on everything from college football to hockey. His past experience includes working in the broadcast department for the Cleburne Railroaders and at 88.7 KTCU, TCU's radio station.
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