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WAKE FOREST 11, ELON 1 (7 innings, run-rule)
WINSTON‑SALEM, N.C. (AP) — The Wake Forest Demon Deacons didn’t just win Tuesday night at David F. Couch Ballpark — they made it feel like more than a midweek game. From the first pitch, the air was electric: the sharp crack of the bat, the roar of the home crowd, and the tension of a pitching staff in complete control set the stage for a commanding 11‑1 run-rule win over the Elon Phoenix. By the seventh inning, the scoreboard reflected a performance that was precise, relentless, and thoroughly Wake Forest.
Marsten Sets the Early Tone
Sophomore right-hander Duncan Marsten dominated from the outset, carrying a no-hitter through the first 13 outs and striking out five over 4 2/3 innings. Every pitch cut through the air with authority, forcing Elon hitters to chase balls that never came close to the strike zone. Marsten’s poise and rhythm set the tone for the evening, and each swinging miss drew a collective cheer from the stands. By the fourth inning, it felt inevitable: any chance of an Elon rally had already begun to slip away.
When freshman reliever Marcelo Harsch entered in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and one out, the tension in the stadium spiked. The Phoenix had a momentary glimmer of hope, but Harsch quickly erased it, striking out all five batters he faced over the sixth and seventh innings. Each whiff was a punctuation mark — a reminder that Wake Forest controlled not only the scoreboard but the entire pace of the game. The seamless handoff from Marsten to Harsch underscored a deeper truth: Wake Forest’s dominance on the mound is a collective effort executed with near-perfect timing.
Offense in Full Force
The Deacons’ bats were equally commanding. Sophomore second baseman Dalton Wentz led the charge with four RBIs on two hits, including a two-run homer in the third inning and a two-run double in the seventh. The crowd reacted to every swing, rising with each crack of the bat and watching the ball soar over the outfield wall. Junior Kade Lewis added two hits and scored three times, while sophomore Jackson Miller and freshman Andrew Costello contributed key hits and heads-up baserunning that kept Elon off balance.
From the opening frame, Wake Forest established its rhythm. A hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded, followed by a groundout, put the Deacons ahead 2‑0 and signaled that Elon would have no easy innings. By the time Wentz’s homer cleared the left-field wall, the tension in the Phoenix dugout was palpable, and the home crowd had grown louder with every Deacon run. JD Stein scored on a wild pitch in the fifth, and Costello hustled home on a shortstop error in the sixth, stretching the lead to 7‑1 and creating a sense of inevitability that hung over the field like the warm lights of the stadium.
Seventh Inning Crescendo
By the seventh inning, the game had built to a near-climactic peak. Miller scored on a wild pitch, Wentz doubled in two more runs, and Costello capped the scoring with an RBI single, triggering the NCAA run rule. Each play flowed naturally from the last, a combination of skill, timing, and relentless focus that left the Phoenix scrambling and the crowd fully engaged. The sound of each bat striking the ball, each baserunner’s slide, and the cheer of the stands created a rhythm that made the game feel larger than a midweek matchup — it was theater, but with stakes, precision, and consequence.
Home-Field Dominance Continues
Tuesday’s victory added another chapter to Wake Forest’s remarkable history at Couch Ballpark. Since 2022, the Deacons have posted a 122‑28‑1 record at home, including an 83‑2 mark against non-conference opponents. With at least 20 home wins in each of the last four seasons, the stadium has become more than a venue; it is a proving ground. Fans have come to expect not just wins, but dominance, a performance where pitching, hitting, and crowd energy converge into a spectacle that challenges any visiting team.
Looking Ahead
With this win, Wake Forest (18‑7, 4‑5 ACC) will carry a wave of momentum into the remainder of its four-game homestand, aiming to maintain its rhythm before the intensity of ACC play accelerates. Elon (10‑14, 3‑6 CAA) returns home humbled but aware of the lessons learned in Winston‑Salem, facing the difficult task of regrouping after a night when every Deacon swing and pitch seemed perfectly executed. Tuesday was a reminder: at Couch Ballpark, Wake Forest doesn’t just play games — they set the standard.
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