Wake Forest Routs NC State in Series Opener

Demon Deacons hit six home runs in 22-1 victory over Wolfpack

Apr. 18, 2026 at 3:11am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors representing the action and energy of a college baseball game.A cubist interpretation of the high-scoring college baseball matchup between NC State and Wake Forest.Wake Forest Today

The Wake Forest baseball team jumped out to an early lead and cruised to a 22-1 victory over NC State in the series opener on Friday night. The Demon Deacons hit six home runs, including a grand slam, to hand the Wolfpack their most lopsided loss of the season.

Why it matters

This loss is a significant setback for NC State, which has already dealt with injuries to key pitchers this season. The Wolfpack will need to rebound quickly to have a chance at winning the series against their ACC rival.

The details

NC State starting pitcher Heath Andrews struggled mightily, allowing eight runs in just 1.2 innings of work. Wake Forest batted around in both the second and third innings, taking advantage of Andrews' command issues. The Wolfpack used seven different pitchers in the game, but none were able to slow down the Demon Deacons' hot bats. Offensively, NC State managed just five hits and stranded 10 runners on base.

  • The series-opening game was played on Friday, April 18, 2026.

The players

Heath Andrews

The NC State junior right-hander was rocked for eight runs in 1.2 innings, giving up five hits and three walks.

Ty Head

The NC State sophomore outfielder went 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in the Wolfpack's lone run.

Chris Levonas

The Wake Forest ace pitcher worked around five walks to limit NC State to just one run.

Blake Schaff

The Wake Forest hitter hit a grand slam in the second inning to break the game open.

Javar Williams

The Wake Forest leadoff hitter started the scoring with a first-inning home run.

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What they’re saying

“We must regroup and come back stronger tomorrow. This was a tough loss, but we have to put it behind us and focus on the next game.”

— Ty Head, NC State Outfielder

What’s next

The two teams will continue their three-game series on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 4:00 PM local time.

The takeaway

This lopsided defeat highlights the challenges NC State is facing with injuries to its pitching staff. The Wolfpack will need to find a way to bounce back quickly if they hope to win the series against their ACC rival.