Root Named National Pitcher of the Week by NCBWA, Perfect Game

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas ace Zach Root, the reigning SEC Pitcher of the Week, has been named the national pitcher of the week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association as well as by Perfect Game.

Root twirled a career-long eight scoreless innings and tallied a career-high 11 strikeouts in Arkansas’ 9-0 series-opening shutout win against No. 1 Texas. The Fort Myers, Fla., native, allowed two hits and issued a pair of walks, logging his team-leading fourth quality start and team-high sixth win in the process.

Behind Root’s dominant performance, the Razorback pitching staff combined for a two-hit shutout in the series opener against the top-ranked Longhorns. Arkansas went on to secure its first weekend series sweep against Texas in program history as well as its first weekend series sweep against the No. 1 team in the country since the 2001 campaign.

Root, who boasts a 6-3 record with a 3.95 ERA and a team-high 92 strikeouts in 12 starts, is first Razorback to earn national pitcher of the week honors since Hagen Smith did so on two occasions during his historic 2024 campaign.

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