Wood’s No-Hitter Continues Hogs’ College World Series Campaign

OMAHA, Neb. – Fueled by Gage Wood’s no-hitter and near perfect game, Arkansas kept its postseason hopes alive with a 3-0 win over Murray State at the College World Series on Monday afternoon inside Charles Schwab Field.

Wood was incredible in throwing just the third no-hitter in College World Series history and only the 11th solo no-hitter in Arkansas school history. He joins Jim Ehler of Texas in 1950 and Jim Wixson of Oklahoma State in 1960 as the only pitchers to record no-hitters in the CWS. Wood’s 19 strikeouts broke the school record in his first-ever complete game. His 19 punch outs eclipsed the record held by Hagen Smith (2024) and Jess Todd (2007), who both struck out 17.

Wood set the CWS record for consecutive outs, retiring the first 21 batters he faced on Monday before a 2-2 breaking ball hit the back foot of Dom Decker to open the eighth inning. The perfect game bid was the longest since 1999 in the CWS.

Wood breezed through the Murray State lineup the first time through, striking out five of the nine Racers in their first at-bat. The Batesville, Ark. native rolled through the third and fourth innings, striking out the side in both before striking out Decker to start the fifth for seven straight punch outs. He then fielded a ground ball to the first base side of the mound and raced to first for the second out before he added his 11th strikeout to end the fifth.

He added a pair of strikeouts in the sixth and one more in the seventh to retire 21 straight to start the game. After hitting Decker to open the eighth inning, Wood quickly got back to work by getting Luke Mistone to foul out to Ryder Helfrick behind the plate then racked up two more strikeouts to extend his no-hit bid to the ninth.

Back out for the ninth inning, Wood was still reaching 97-98 mph with his fastball. Pinch hitter Nico Bermeo looked to have been the second Racer to reach base when he was hit in the elbow by a 2-2 pitch but, after review, the umpires overturned the call and called Bermeo out by rule – in college baseball a pitch is called a strike when a batter is ruled to have intentionally allowed the ball to hit him. With strikeout No. 16 in the books, Wood blew fastballs by fellow Batesville native and Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year Conner Cunningham for the second out. With history hanging in the balance, Wood finished it off in style with his 19th strikeout of the afternoon against the Racers’ best hitter in Jonathan Hogart. Wood’s 19 strikeouts is one shy of the CWS record 20 set in 1965 by Steve Arlin in Ohio State’s 1-0 win over Washington in 15 innings.

While Wood was dominating on the mound, the Hogs were struggling to get into gear at the plate. A Reese Robinett double led off the top of the third inning before Charles Davalan scratched the first run of the afternoon with a single. That run was more than enough for Wood but his teammates added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning.

Leadoff singles from Justin Thomas Jr. and Davalan put runners on the corners for Wehiwa Aloy. The SEC Player of the Year pounded a double inside the third base bag and down the left field line to stretch the lead to two runs. Davalan scored on an error by Murray State’s outfielder to cap the rally and increase the Arkansas lead to three runs.

Thomas led all players with a career-best four hits on the day as Arkansas collected 10 hits on the afternoon. Davalan and Aloy chipped in a pair of hits apiece in the win.

Arkansas advances to tomorrow night when the Hogs will take on the loser of LSU/UCLA at 6 p.m.

Records Set by Gage Wood in CWS No-Hitter

• Arkansas school record for single-game strikeouts – 19
• 11th solo no-hitter in Arkansas school history
• 3rd no-hitter in CWS history
• 9th no-hitter in NCAA tournament history
• Most strikeouts in a single game of 9 innings or fewer in CWS History
• Most single-game strikeouts in Charles Schwab Field Era of CWS
• 1st complete game in CWS since 2018 Oregon State’s Kevin Abel
• 124th CWS Shutout

How Gage Wood Threw the Third No-Hitter in College World Series History
1st Inning
Jonathan Hogart – Fly out to RF
Dustin Mercer – K
Carson Garner – K

2nd Inning
Dom Decker – K looking
Luke Mistone – groundout to 2B
Will Vierling – Fly out to RF

3rd Inning
Dan Tauken – K
Charlie Jury – K looking
Conner Cunningham – K

4th Inning
Jonathan Hogart – K
Dustin Mercer – K
Carson Garner – K looking

5th Inning
Dom Decker – K looking
Luke Mistone – groundout to P
Will Vierling – K looking

6th Inning
Dan Tauken – groundout to P
Charlie Jury – K
Conner Cunningham – K

7th Inning
Jonathan Hogart – K
Dustin Mercer – groundout to SS
Carson Garner – groundout to 1B

8th Inning
Dom Decker – HBP
Luke Mistone – foul out to C
Will Vierling – K
Dan Tauken – K

9th Inning
Nico Bermeo – K (HBP overturned for strike three)
Conner Cunningham – K
Jonathan Hogart – K looking

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