Wake Forest Crushes NC State Again, Wins Series

The Demon Deacons' offense explodes for five home runs in another dominant victory over the Wolfpack.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 2:09am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game in motion, with sharp, overlapping planes of navy, gold, and red representing the dynamic action on the field.Wake Forest's explosive offense overwhelms NC State in another series victory for the Demon Deacons.Wake Forest Today

The Wake Forest baseball team continued its hot streak, defeating NC State 12-7 on Saturday to clinch the weekend series. Led by standout performances from Luke Costello and Matt Conte, the Demon Deacons' offense erupted for five home runs to overpower the Wolfpack. Despite a shaky outing from starting pitcher Troy Dressler, the Wake bats carried the team to another convincing win.

Why it matters

This series victory over a conference rival keeps Wake Forest in the hunt for a top seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament. The Demon Deacons' powerful offense has been on a tear lately, providing optimism that the team can make a deep postseason run.

The details

Wake Forest jumped out to an early lead, with Luke Costello driving in the first run with a single in the opening frame. The Demon Deacons then broke the game open with a barrage of home runs, including two from catcher Matt Conte and solo shots from Kade Lewis and Javar Williams. Despite giving up four runs in 3.1 innings, starting pitcher Troy Dressler earned his sixth win of the season as the Wake offense provided ample run support.

  • The Demon Deacons defeated the Wolfpack on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
  • Wake Forest has now won both the series over Cal and Pitt, but was unable to complete the sweep on Sunday.

The players

Luke Costello

A key offensive contributor for Wake Forest, Costello had four hits, five RBIs, and a home run in the game.

Matt Conte

The Demon Deacons' catcher hit two home runs and drove in four runs to power the offense.

Troy Dressler

The Wake Forest starting pitcher earned his sixth win of the season despite a shaky outing, allowing the offense to carry the team to victory.

Kade Lewis

The Demon Deacons' leadoff hitter hit a home run to continue his strong performance at the plate.

Javar Williams

Williams also hit a home run for Wake Forest, adding to the team's power display.

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What they’re saying

“Is 15 home runs in the last three games any good?”

— Wake Forest Baseball

“BELT x 2”

— Wake Forest Baseball

What’s next

The Demon Deacons will look to complete the sweep over NC State on Sunday, April 19th at 1 PM.

The takeaway

Wake Forest's explosive offense has been the key to the team's recent success, as the Demon Deacons have now won the series against another ACC rival. If the bats continue to produce at this level, Wake Forest will be a tough out in the postseason.