Gage Wood Throws No-Hitter, Strikes Out 19 In Arkansas College World Series Over Murray State
Image credit: Gage Wood (14) Arkansas Razorbacks vs Murray State Racers in game seven of the 2025 NCAA Men’s College World Series at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska on Monday, June 16, 2025 (Photo by Eddie Kelly/ ProLook Photos)
Arkansas entered the postseason confident that its premium fastball velocity could overwhelm, especially against mid-and-low major foes.
On Monday, Gage Wood used that strategy to make history, as the junior righthander threw a no-hitter against Murray State and struck out 19, a career-high and Charles Schwab Field era single-game record. It marked the third no-hitter in College World Series history and the most strikeouts by a CWS pitcher who threw nine or fewer innings.
Wood dialed up fastballs early and often, blowing it past a Murray State offense that had been hard to quiet to this point. He retired 21 straight batters to start the game, the longest perfect game bid in the College World Series since 1999.
It was readily apparent early that the Arkansas righty would have a chance at another dominant postseason outing after he struck out 13 Creighton batters over six innings in the regional round. He opened the contest with a two-strikeout first inning and ran his total up to six through the third, which saw him strike out the side. Five of Wood’s first six strikeouts came on his fastball, which peaked at 98 mph and danced to the plate with riding life.
Wood recorded a string of seven consecutive strikeouts from the start of the third inning through the first out of the fifth.
Razorback pitchers have been encouraged to lean on their velocity throughout the postseason, especially against mid-and-low major opponents who aren’t accustomed to SEC-caliber heat. Wood touched 97 mph multiple times in the ninth despite having thrown over 100 pitches.
“It doesn’t mean they haven’t seen 95, 96, 97,” head coach Dave Van Horn said after Wood used his high-90s fastball to strike out 13 outmatched Creighton hitters over six frames in the Fayetteville Regional final. “They’ve just seen it less than we have.”
The performance more than flirted with perfection, too. It wasn’t until Wood hit Murray State cleanup hitter Dominic Decker to start the eighth that he even allowed a baserunner. No other Murray State player reached base.
Wood has seen his stock ignite and take off since returning to action from a shoulder injury that sidelined him from late February until April 18. His elite fastball has allowed him to strike out 69 over 37.2 innings this year, success that could very well push him into the first round of this summer’s draft.
He wouldn’t be the first player to significantly boost his stock in Omaha. Former Oklahoma righty Cade Horton struck out 24 batters over 13.1 College World Series innings in 2022, which catapulted him to the seventh overall pick in that year’s draft. In 2023, LSU righty Ty Floyd struck out 17 in the national championship series against Florida, which stood as the Charles Schwab Field record until Wood broke it on Monday afternoon.
With their victory, the Razorbacks will face the loser of LSU-UCLA in an elimination game for a spot in the College World Series semifinal.
Arkansas has never won a College World Series title and entered the bracket as the betting favorite to pull off the feat this year. An opening-game loss to LSU stunted those odds but Woods dominance puts them a step closer to getting back on track.
