As ACC teams are gearing up for conference play this weekend, teams will be looking to answer the question marks on their rosters. For the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, one thing is for sure, the bullpen is certainly not a question mark.
Even though this pitching staff came into the year largely unproven, they have answered the bell and the bullpen is a big reason for the success. Through the first 13 games this season, the Demon Deacon pitching staff has struck out 176 batters, which amounts to 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings, good enough for second in the country.
“The bullpen is nails,” said starting pitcher Logan Lunceford. “I mean, every single week and every single game, they shove it. And it’s exciting to watch whenever you come out.”
The Deacons’ bullpen can certainly shove it. Through the first 13 games this season, they have proven they are one of the best bullpens in the country, posting a 1.72 ERA in 62 2/3 innings of relief. The bullpen has also struck out 105 batters this season, eclipsing the total number of strikeouts by starters and relievers combined for 219 other Division I programs.
So, what has made the Demon Deacon bullpen so strong this season?
Wake Forest coach Tom Walter believes that the answer to this question is the talent his pitchers possess and their desire to have the ball in their hands in big situations. The bullpen is a big part of why the Demon Deacons have posted three shutouts and held opponents to less than three runs in six games.
The Deacons’ bullpen has been led this season by Will Ray, Luke Schmolke, Zach Johnston and Josh Gunther. These four have taken on the identity of the end-of-the-game guys who want to be on the bump when the moment is the biggest. Walter has even noted that they have been referred to as the “Avengers” and the “Fantastic Four” in the locker room.
But the “Fantastic Four” are no longer four. During last Friday’s game against Princeton, Ray sustained a torn ligament in his throwing arm and will be out for the year, according to Walter.
In 7 1/3 innings in relief this season, Ray has allowed no runs on just three hits with 14 strikeouts. This loss is significant because Ray is not only a leader within the bullpen, but he’s also been one of the team’s biggest team leaders this season.
“I started off a little slow in the first couple games this year, and I mean, Will Ray was the first guy to go up to me,” said sophomore utility man Antonio Morales. “Every time, I can always rely on that guy. He’s my captain, he’s my friend, he’s my leader.”
Ray’s loss will be felt, but it will allow pitchers like Griffin Green, Joe Ariola, and Haiden Leffew to step up in his absence. It will also give freshman pitchers Chris Levonas and Nate Whysong opportunities as they return from injury.
In the Deacons’ 14-6 win over Appalachian State in the midweek, Levonas and Whysong made their season debuts, each pitching a scoreless inning, neither allowing a hit. Levonas got the start in Boone, North Carolina, while Levonas pitched in relief in the eighth inning.
Wake Forest will open conference play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at David F. Couch Ballpark this weekend. If the Demon Deacons want to win their first ACC series of the season, they will need the bullpen to make the same type of impact that they have to start the season.
