Sunday, March 2
Winston-Salem, N.C.
9:30 AM
Princeton University
1-7
7
at
6
#12 Wake Forest
9-3
1
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5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Princeton
0
0
0
7
0
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0
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0
7
6
0
Wake Forest
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0
1
0
0
2
1
0
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6
10
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Photo by: Katherine Martin
Baseball Takes Down #12 Wake Forest For First Win Of 2025
March 02, 2025 | Baseball
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.- The Princeton University baseball team entered the Sunday morning contest against the #12 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 0-7. A huge fourth inning with seven runs on the scoreboard propelled the Tigers to its first victory of the season and its first ranked win since 2022.
Liam Kinneen made his second start for Princeton on the mound and made quick work of the Wake Forest top of the order with a strikeout and two fly-outs.
The Tigers were able to escape a jam in the second after a leadoff walk. Kinneen forced a fielder's choice for the first out. Jake Bold then had the chance to show off his arm and caught the runner stealing before Nick Shenefelt grabbed the third out in foul territory.
Wake Forest broke the shutout with a homerun to start the third. The Demon Deacons were able to put two runners on thanks to back-to-back walks. The defense went to work after Kinneen recorded his second strikeout of the day. Googins scooped up the ground ball and got the throw to Jake Koonin at second who followed it over to Shenefelt at first for a big double play and put the momentum in favor of the Tigers for their massive fourth inning.
After falling behind 1-0 in the third, the Tigers' bats got hot in the top of the next frame. Princeton had two runners in Shenefelt at second and Dylan Zdunek at first with two outs. Grant Werdesheim knocked his first career RBI into center field to tie things up. Joseph Zorc was hit by the pitch to juice the bases. The Demon Deacons pulled their starting pitcher but Tommy Googins kept up the pace with a single of his own to bring two runs across the plate.
Jake Koonin walked to load the bags once again for Caden Shapiro. The senior outfielder singled straight up the middle to plate another two. Jake Bold hit a fly out to lead off the inning, but this time he slapped a double down the right field line to make it a 7-1 ballgame.
The Demon Deacons tacked on two runs in the sixth before Jacob Faulkner came in for relief for the third out. Kinneen ended his outing after 5.2 innings of work and allowed three earned runs and picked up two strikeouts. A sacrifice fly in the seventh made it 7-4 as the game moved to the bottom of the ninth.
Faulkner stayed out on the bump for Princeton to close things out and picked up two quick outs but Wake Forest would not go quietly. The next batter was hit by the pitch before Faulkner gave up a full count walk to put runners on first and second. A single brought in a run to cut the Tigers' lead to two. The Demon Deacons smashed a double into the outfield for another run as the score stood at 7-6 with the game tying run just 90 feet from home and the go-ahead at second.
Wake Forest was down to its last strike with a 1-2 count. Faulkner delivered the pitch as the batter took a big swing for the punchout and the first Princeton victory of 2025.
Kinneen earned his first career win while Faulkner was awarded his eleventh career save, which moves him into a tie for third in program history.
Princeton will be back on the road to spend spring break in Virginia where the team will first face VCU from Mar. 7-9.
Liam Kinneen made his second start for Princeton on the mound and made quick work of the Wake Forest top of the order with a strikeout and two fly-outs.
The Tigers were able to escape a jam in the second after a leadoff walk. Kinneen forced a fielder's choice for the first out. Jake Bold then had the chance to show off his arm and caught the runner stealing before Nick Shenefelt grabbed the third out in foul territory.
Wake Forest broke the shutout with a homerun to start the third. The Demon Deacons were able to put two runners on thanks to back-to-back walks. The defense went to work after Kinneen recorded his second strikeout of the day. Googins scooped up the ground ball and got the throw to Jake Koonin at second who followed it over to Shenefelt at first for a big double play and put the momentum in favor of the Tigers for their massive fourth inning.
After falling behind 1-0 in the third, the Tigers' bats got hot in the top of the next frame. Princeton had two runners in Shenefelt at second and Dylan Zdunek at first with two outs. Grant Werdesheim knocked his first career RBI into center field to tie things up. Joseph Zorc was hit by the pitch to juice the bases. The Demon Deacons pulled their starting pitcher but Tommy Googins kept up the pace with a single of his own to bring two runs across the plate.
Jake Koonin walked to load the bags once again for Caden Shapiro. The senior outfielder singled straight up the middle to plate another two. Jake Bold hit a fly out to lead off the inning, but this time he slapped a double down the right field line to make it a 7-1 ballgame.
The Demon Deacons tacked on two runs in the sixth before Jacob Faulkner came in for relief for the third out. Kinneen ended his outing after 5.2 innings of work and allowed three earned runs and picked up two strikeouts. A sacrifice fly in the seventh made it 7-4 as the game moved to the bottom of the ninth.
Faulkner stayed out on the bump for Princeton to close things out and picked up two quick outs but Wake Forest would not go quietly. The next batter was hit by the pitch before Faulkner gave up a full count walk to put runners on first and second. A single brought in a run to cut the Tigers' lead to two. The Demon Deacons smashed a double into the outfield for another run as the score stood at 7-6 with the game tying run just 90 feet from home and the go-ahead at second.
Wake Forest was down to its last strike with a 1-2 count. Faulkner delivered the pitch as the batter took a big swing for the punchout and the first Princeton victory of 2025.
Kinneen earned his first career win while Faulkner was awarded his eleventh career save, which moves him into a tie for third in program history.
Princeton will be back on the road to spend spring break in Virginia where the team will first face VCU from Mar. 7-9.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kinneen, Liam (1-1)
L: Matt Bedford (1-2)
S: Faulkner, Jacob (1)
Batting:
2B: Bold, Jake 1
RBI: Shapiro, Caden 2 ; Bold, Jake 2 ; Werdesheim, Grant 1 ; Googins, Tommy 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Koonin, Jake 1 ; Shapiro, Caden 1 ; Shenefelt, Nick 1 ; Zdunek, Dylan 1 ; Werdesheim, Grant 1 ; Zorc, Joseph 1 ; Googins, Tommy 1
SB: Shapiro, Caden 1
HBP: Zorc, Joseph 1
PO: Werdesheim, Grant 1
Batting:
2B: Marek Houston 1 ; Dalton Wentz 3 ; Chris Katz 1
HR: Matt Conte 1
RBI: Jack Winnay 1 ; Kade Lewis 1 ; Dalton Wentz 2 ; Chris Katz 1 ; Matt Conte 1
SF: Jack Winnay 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ethan Conrad 2 ; Jack Winnay 2 ; Matt Conte 1 ; Austin Hawke 1
CS: Kade Lewis 1
HBP: Ethan Conrad 1 ; Jack Winnay 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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