Elon vs. Wake Forest
by Cole Velis
On Sunday the Demon Deacons took on Elon at home beating them 12-0. Fresh off a CWS appearance Wake looks poised to be at the top of the college baseball landscape once again. Wake dominated Elon’s offense, striking out 17 and only allowing one hit on the day.
The Deacs rolled out their returning pair of 6’5 Juniors, right hander Michael Massey and lefty Josh Hartle. The pair punched out 216 hitters and their combined 144 innings last season, continuing off their dominance with a combined seven K’s in just three innings Sunday.
Paired with them was debatably Head Coach Tom Walters and his staff's best add in the transfer portal, and one of the biggest additions in college baseball, right hander Chase Burns. Burns comes off a year where he punched out 14.3 batters per 9 innings, and made notable appearances for Coach Vitello at Tennessee both out of the bullpen and starting games during the Volunteers College World Series run.
Burn’s arsenal maybe the best in all of college baseball; featuring an upper 90’s fastball which can reach triple digits with good shape, a 70-grade slider that can reach the low 90’s, and two lesser off-speed in a change-up he offers to lefties and a low-mid 80’s curveball he added while still at Tennessee. All of these pitches were on display this weekend as he too ripped through Elon’s lineup.
A key bullpen piece returns in RHP Cole Roland. The 24 year-old right hander from Duxbury, MA shoved as well. He went two innings and punched out 5 batters, not allowing anyone to reach base. Roland’s best pitch is his mid 80’s gyro slider, which he threw more than half the time in 2023, his first season at Wake since transferring in from Dartmouth. He had it working again Sunday.
This offense was equally as impressive, coming off of a season where they scored the second most runs in all of Division I college baseball, they continue to meet the high expectations they have set for themselves. Here is the lineup Coach Walters opted for:
1. Marek Houston (SS)
2. Seaver King (CF)
3. Nick Kurtz (1B)
4. Jake Reinisch (RF)
5. Jack Winnay (DH)
6. Tate Ballestero (C)
7. Chris Katz (LF)
8. Adam Tellier (3B)
9. Austin Hawke (2B)
Some notable performances came from shortstop Marek Houston, one of the country's best defensive shortstops, is looking to bounce back with the stick his sophomore season after posting only a .629 OPS his debut freshman year. Houston went 3-for-5 on Sunday, scoring two and driving two in. However it was much of the same for Junior Nick Kurtz, who went 2-3 with a walk and homer. Kurtz had 24 of the Deacs 130 homers and a 1.311 OPS last season. Freshman two-way and Maryland native Cam Nelson showed power potential from the left side with a huge two-run homer. Finally, Austin Hawke, younger brother of Cleaveland Guardians 6th round selection and former Wake Forest center fielder Tommy Hawke, had a 2-for-3 day with a pair of doubles. Hawke is a transfer from University of North Carolina.
The only reason I chose to use the word “debatably” when referring to Chase Burns as the best transfer Wake had gotten, was the addition of infielder Seaver King from DII Wingate. King is coming off of a summer in which he was a team USA selection, then followed up by playing for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League where he posted a 1.021 OPS and a 12% strikeout rate. King has been playing all over the field, including receiving some time in the outfield. Regardless of where he will play, he is going to rake. He too had a two-run homer this weekend.
This team has it all. Ridiculous bats, savvy defense and maybe the nation's best pitching staff with the analytics and player development to pair. If they are capable of building off weekends like this, they are more than set up to return to Omaha in 2024.
Credits: Photo by Wake Forest Baseball
