Deacons shut down Western Carolina in series opener
A combined two-hitter is a good way to start a series — if not surprising when the Friday night starter leaves after two innings.
Three Wake Forest pitchers combined for such a game in a 6-1 victory against visiting Western Carolina on Friday night at David F. Couch Ballpark.
Chris Levonas (9-3) pitched two hitless innings to start things off. The sophomore didn’t come out for the third inning — a planned early exit with the Deacons (33-17) nearing the end of the regular season.
Evan Jones took the next three innings. He allowed both of the Catamounts’ hits, including an RBI single in the fifth, and surrendered five walks.
Zach Johnston picked up his first save of the season by pitching the final four innings. Three of those innings were of the 1-2-3 variety; the one that wasn’t, he issued back-to-back walks before an inning-ending double play.
Wake Forest got three runs in each the first and fourth innings, all via home runs.
Kade Lewis launched his 13th blast of the season in the first, a three-run shot after Javar Williams singled and Luke Costello walked to start the inning.
Dalton Wentz led off the fourth with a homer, his 13th of the season. Freshman Andrew Costello launched a two-run blast later in the inning for what turned out to be Wake’s final runs.
Both Costello brothers, Lewis and Matt Conte had two hits apiece.
