Gage Wood throws third no-hitter in MCWS history to keep Arkansas’ season alive

Facing elimination Monday in Omaha, Arkansas needed a big performance from starting pitcher Gage Wood against Murray State if the Razorbacks were going to keep their title dreams alive.

Arkansas got that and a whole lot more from the righty.

Wood threw just the third no-hitter in Men’s College World Series history, and the first since 1960, as he and the Razorbacks blanked the Racers by a final score of 3-0. Beyond going the distance without allowing a hit, Wood took a perfect game into the eighth inning and only lost that bid at perfection when a 2-2 breaking ball hit Racers batter Dom Decker in his back foot to open the inning.

Wood finished off the eighth with a foul out, and a pair of strikeouts, to set Murray State down in the inning. He closed out the game with three more strikeouts to bring his total to 19 on the afternoon, which is not only a new program record at Arkansas, but set the MCWS record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game.

The final out of the game came on this 97-mph fastball, his 119th pitch of the afternoon:

Speaking with ESPN after the game, Wood was asked about his emotions after throwing just the third no-hitter in MCWS history.

“I shouldn’t have hit the guy,” said Wood. “That’s all I’ve gotta say.”

Asked when he knew something special was happening, Wood finally broke a smile. “I didn’t throw a pitch out of the stretch in a while so …”

The first no-hitter in MCWS history was thrown by Jim Ehrler of Texas in 1950 against Tufts, while Jim Wixson of Oklahoma State blanked North Carolina in 1960.

Arkansas will take on the loser of tonight’s game between UCLA and LSU tomorrow in an elimination game.

As for Wood, by recent projections, he is expected to be a first- or second-round pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.

A no-hitter in an elimination game is sure to boost his stock.