Photo Credit: Craven Whitlow
After losing the opening game of the College World Series to LSU, Arkansas knew it would need to pull the improbable to make a run through the loser’s bracket.
Starting pitcher Gage Wood gave them just that against Murray State by tossing just the third no-hitter in MCWS history.
Wood threw a career-high 119 pitches, striking out 19 batters — a program record and an all-time MCWS record — while allowing zero walks. It’s the first no-hitter in Omaha in 65 years. Oklahoma State’s Jim Wixson in 1960 was the last to accomplish this feat, 10 years after Texas’ Jim Ehrler in 1950.
Enter the Rooster.
Wood actually retired the first 21 batters he faced, and his seven pristine innings was the longest perfect game bid in the College World Series since at least 1999 (play-by-play data wasn’t tracked before then, so the “almost” performances have been lost to history).
Murray State’s first and only baserunner of the game was second baseman Dominic Decker, who led off the eighth inning and was hit on the foot by a breaking ball that got away from Wood. Pinch hitter Nico Bermeo led off the ninth inning and took a pitch to the elbow, but upon review it was determined he leaned into it. Since there were two strikes in the count, he was ruled out and it went in the books as another strikeout for Wood. He went on to punch out the next two batters and secure his place in history.
After the game, the Batesville native was hungry for more, regretting the one batter that got away from him on an otherwise flawless day.
“I shouldn’t have hit the guy…that’s all I’ve got to say,” Wood said in his postgame interview on ESPN. “[My fastball] was coming out pretty good. It was nice and warm today so I was feeling pretty good.”
That’s an understatement, to say the least. Wood had no mercy for the Cinderella Racers, striking out the side in the third, fourth and ninth innings. Throughout the middle portion of the game, Murray State struggled to even put the ball in play.
After Logan Maxwell caught a fly ball to end the second inning, Arkansas’ fielders didn’t have to make a play until the second out of the seventh inning, when Wehiwa Aloy fielded a ground ball and made the play. In that stretch of 13 consecutive putouts by Wood, he struck out 11 and fielded two dribblers back to the mound himself.
The 21-year-old’s performance was even more impressive given that Murray State boasts one of the best offenses in the nation. The Racers rank 17th nationally in on-base percentage and 25th in OPS. They have a team batting average of .306 and score an average of 8.8 runs per game, good for 15th in the nation and level with Arkansas. The Racers are particularly dominant against right-handed pitching, with a .323 average and a .957 team OPS — but Wood shut them down completely.
It was pure dominance from an in-state kid on the sport’s biggest stage. Even as he began to labor in the summer heat, and when his curveball lost a bit of its bite in the later innings, Wood was able to power through behind his untouchable go-to weapon – the four-seam fastball.
ESPN commentators repeatedly referred to Wood’s heater as the best fastball in college baseball – statistically, he has the highest whiff rate in the nation on his four-seamer. And he was certainly feeling it on Monday, getting Murray State hitters to chase high cheddar out of the zone even when facing them for the third time.
Wood’s electric fastball already had him in the conversation to be a high-round pick in this summer’s MLB Draft. MLB.com lists him as the No. 50 overall prospect, not even the highest-rated pitcher on his own team – Zach Root is No. 43, and Wehiwa Aloy is No. 22 on that board. Others such as ESPN are more bullish on the right-hander, listing him as the 21st-best prospect.
With his performance today, Wood will likely be a multi-millionaire in a few months. Just a few days ago, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel predicted this sort of thing could happen, likening the stocky hurler’s draft status to the meteoric rise of Oklahoma pitcher Cade Horton, who stole the spotlight at the 2022 MCWS and ended up being selected 7th overall in the draft. But McDaniel clarified that this was a “speculative” projection.
After his jaw-dropping display against Murray State, that speculation becomes concrete reality. ESPN’s top baseball insider Jeff Passan appeared on SportsCenter immediately after the game and declared Wood to be a first round lock, again comparing his stock to Horton’s. That buzz will only continue to grow.
Wood is undersized at 6-foot – and that’s a generous listing – but his fastball and high-spin curveball give him the electric stuff that MLB scouts crave at the next level.
Not only did Wood cement his draft status with this unbelievable outing, he also put Arkansas in a remarkably good spot for a loser’s bracket run as far as pitching depth is concerned. The Diamond Hogs still need to win three games in three days, but the only arms they’ve “burned” at this point are Wood and Gabe Gaeckle, who threw 90 pitches in six innings on Saturday night. Everyone else is available.
Inspired by Wood’s heroics, Arkansas can now move forward in its attempt to navigate a gauntlet of consecutive elimination games en route to the MCWS finals.
More from BoAS Andrew Hutchinson reporting on Wood’s historic outing from Omaha:
Plus, an inning-by-inning breakdown of Wood’s incredible no-hitter below:
LIVE UPDATES: Arkansas vs Murray State (College World Series)
T-1st: Arkansas 0, Murray State 0
Silva fools Davalan with an explosive sinker, and he goes down swinging to start things off.
Aloy hits a grounder deep into the hole at short and Cunningham slips as he fields the ball. The throw is off line and Aloy is aboard with an infield single.
Maxwell hits one sky high into left field and it’s a routine play for Tauken.
Helfrick whiffs on a slider down and away and Silva has another strikeout.
B-1st: Arkansas 0, Murray State 0
Hogart gives one a lift to right, but it’s a comfortable catch for Maxwell.
Mercer swings and misses on a curveball and Wood has his first strikeout of the game.
Wood blows a 96 mph fastball past Garner to retire the side in order.
T-2nd: Arkansas 0, Murray State 0
Kozeal hits a chopper towards Decker, and he makes the play.
Silva strikes out Aloy on three pitches with a sweeping slider.
Iredale sends the first pitch into right field for a flyout. Silva is clean through two innings on just 21 pitches.
B-2nd: Arkansas 0, Murray State 0
Wood paints a fastball on the corner for three-pitch backwards K.
Mistone gets jammed on a heater and grounds out to Kozeal.
Vierling gets solid contact on a 96 mph fastball, but Maxwell makes the catch on the warning track.
T-3rd: Arkansas 1, Murray State 0
Robinett ropes a hard liner into right-center field, and slides in safely for a leadoff double.
Thomas makes two attempts to bunt, then barrels up a hard grounder that hits Silva in the leg. He’s safe with an infield single, and Robinett moves to third.
Davalan drops a single down into left field. Robinett scores and Thomas reaches third. Still runners on the corners with no outs.
Davalan swipes second to take away the double play and put two RISP for Aloy.
Aloy smokes a 110 mph liner to short, but Cunningham snares it for the first out.
Maxwell hits a soft fly ball to shallow right, and Thomas is forced to hold at third.
Helfrick whiffs on a slider and Silva escapes the jam with minimal damage.
B-3rd: Arkansas 1, Murray State 0
Wood produces a “sword” on Tauken with a 96 mph fastball up in the zone.
Wood drops a big bender into the zone for another strikeout. 24 of his first 32 pitches have been strikes.
Cunningham whiffs on a 97 mph fastball and Wood strikes out the side. Nine up, nine down and six strikeouts for the right-hander.
T-4th: Arkansas 1, Murray State 0
Kozeal flies out to left on the second pitch.
Aloy reaches down in the zone and hits another flyout to left.
Iredale gets jammed on a high and tight fastball and flies out to shallow center. Silva has settled back in, and he’s through four innings on just 52 pitches.
B-4th: Arkansas 1, Murray State 0
Hogart swings through 97 mph at the top of the zone, and that’s seven Ks for Wood.
Another 97 mph heater, another strikeout for the Rooster.
Wood paints a 98 mph fastball on the black to strike out the side for a second straight inning. Nine strikeouts through four innings, and he’s only needed 53 pitches to do it.
T-5th: Arkansas 1, Murray State 0
Robinett smoked one just foul down the right field line, but gets rung up looking on a full count a few pitches later.
Thomas hits a hard grounder that skips over Garner’s glove at third, and he’s aboard with a base hit.
Davalan draws a four-pitch walk. Thomas stole second during the plate appearance.
Aloy grounds into what was originally called a 4-6-3 double play, but he was ruled safe at first upon review.
The head umpire said that “Arizona” was challenging the ruling on the field, yet another case of mistaken identity for Arkansas in the MCWS.
Maxwell grounds out to end the inning, stranding runners on the corners.
B-5th: Arkansas 1, Murray State 0
Wood paints a curveball at the belt for a backwards K. That’s his 10th of the day, and seven punchouts in a row.
Murray State puts the ball in play for the first time since the second inning, but Wood still does it himself by fielding the dribbler and stomping on first base.
Wood fools Vierling looking for yet another strikeout. That’s 11 on the day and nine straight unassisted putouts for the right-hander.
T-6th: Arkansas 1, Murray State 0
Helfrick squares up a slider and knocks a base hit into left field.
Kozeal flies out to shallow right.
Arkansas continues to be aggressive on the base paths. Helfrick takes second during the AB for the third stolen base of the day.
Aloy works the count full and draws a walk.
Silva strikes out Iredale on three pitches.
Robinett can’t hold back his check swing, and he strikes out on a full count. Arkansas has now stranded seven batters today.
B-6th: Arkansas 1, Murray State 0
Tauken hits a chopper back to the mound. Wood snags it and flips to first for the out.
Make it a dozen strikeouts for Wood as Jury swings through another elevated fastball.
Cunningham chases a 97 mph fastball up high for a 13th strikeout. That’s 18 up, 18 down for Murray State and Wood sits at 78 pitches.
T-7th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 0
Isaac Silva’s day is done after a terrific start. Right-hander Graham Kelham, Murray State’s best reliever, is now on the mound for the Racers.
Thomas continues his hot day, roping another single into left field. He’s 3 for 3 this afternoon.
Davalan hits a ground ball past a diving Decker, and the Hogs have runners on the corners with nobody out. The defensive shift put the second baseman out of position for what could have been a double play ball.
Wehiwa Aloy gives Arkansas the breakthrough it was looking for, ripping a double down the third base line that brings home Thomas. Runners on second and third now, still no outs.
Maxwell ropes one into right, and Mercer muffs the catch. Davalan scores, but Aloy has to stay at second. Maxwell reaches base on the error.
Helfrick lays down a peach of a bunt. The throw is in time at first, but both runners move up. Two RISP for Kozeal now.
Kozeal looks at a fastball on the corner for a backwards K.
Kuhio Aloy makes solid contact, but it’s right at Mercer for the third out. That’s nine runners stranded for the Hogs now.
B-7th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 0
Another elevated fastball, another strikeout for Wood. That’s 14 on the day now.
Wood finally lets his defense get some action for the first time since the second inning. Aloy fields the groundout and makes the play.
Robinett snares a tough chopper to preserve Wood’s streak. That’s 21 up, 21 down. Wood has thrown 90 pitches.
T-8th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 0
Iredale flies out to right field for the first out.
Robinett gets caught looking for a backwards K.
Thomas hits a liner over Decker’s head and into center field for yet another base hit. He’s now 4 for 4 on the day.
Vierling guns down Thomas trying to steal second, and the inning is over.
B-8th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 0
Wood lets a breaking ball get away from him, and it hits Decker in the foot. That ends his bid for a perfect game.
Mistone pops out into foul territory behind home plate.
Wood climbs the ladder on Vierling with another elevated fastball. Strikeout number 15 of the day.
Tauken whiffs at a breaking ball that drops into the zone. Wood is three outs away, with his pitch count sitting at 105.
T-9th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 0
Davalan strikes out swinging through a breaking ball.
Aloy grounds out to short.
Kendall Diggs comes in to pinch hit for Maxwell, but he strikes out swinging.
B-9th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 0
Pinch-hitter Nico Bermeo gets hit on the elbow by an offspeed pitch, but he leaned into it. With two strikes in the count, Bermeo is called out upon review. That’ll go down in the books as strikeout number 17 for Wood. He’s at 110 pitches.
Wood strikes out fellow Batesville native Conner Cunningham for a third time today. One out away…
Gage Wood has made history. Nine innings, 119 pitches, and 19 strikeouts later, the Natural State kid has thrown just the third no-hitter in Men’s College World Series history. Arkansas is alive and moving on.
FINAL: Arkansas 3, Murray State 0
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Starting Lineups
Murray State BaseballArkansas Baseball1. Jonathan Hogart – CF (R)1. Charles Davalan – LF (L)2. Dustin Mercer – RF (L)2. Wehiwa Aloy – SS (R)3. Carson Garner – 3B (R)3. Logan Maxwell – RF (L)4. Dominic Decker – 2B (L)4. Ryder Helfrick – C (R)5. Luke Mistone – 1B (R)5. Cam Kozeal – 2B (L)6. Will Vierling – C (L)6. Kuhio Aloy – DH (R)7. Dan Tauken – LF (L)7. Brent Iredale – 3B (R)8. Charlie Jury – DH (L)8. Reese Robinett – 1B (L)9. Conner Cunningham – SS (L)9. Justin Thomas Jr. – CF (R)Pitching: RHP Isaac SilvaPitching: RHP Gage Wood
How to Watch Arkansas vs Murray State
Date: Monday, June 16
First Pitch: 1 p.m. CT
Location: Charles Schwab Field (Omaha, Neb.)
TV: ESPN
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