Arkansas’ Gage Wood Throws 3rd No-Hitter in CWS history and a record 19 Ks

Arkansas’ Gage Wood was on track to throw the first perfect game in College World Series history, but hit a Murray State batter in the bottom of the eighth inning. 

He bounced back and finished off the third no-hitter in CWS history and first in 65 years on Monday, striking out a record 19 and never letting the Racers come close to getting a hit in the Razorbacks’ 3-0 victory.

While trying to close out the game in the ninth inning, Wood hit another Murray State batter, but it was reviewed and overturned for a “lean in”, resulting in Wood’s 17th strikeout of the afternoon. 

Despite achieving a feat only two other pitchers have completed, when Wood was asked about his emotions following the game, he responded: 

“I shouldn’t have hit the guy… That’s all I got to say.”

Wood joined Jim Ehrler of Texas in 1950 and Jim Wixson of Oklahoma State in 1960 as the only pitchers to throw CWS no-hitters, and his defense was never really challenged as he dominated a Racers team that was making its first Omaha appearance.

The junior right-hander set the CWS record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game. His bid for a perfect game ended in the eighth when his 2-2 breaking ball hit Dom Decker in his back foot. Wood, who got a foul out and consecutive strikeouts to end the inning, looked skyward and gave a primal scream and did a couple of high steps as he headed to the dugout.

With the victory, the three-seeded Razorbacks kept their CWS hopes alive and will play the loser of Louisiana State vs. UCLA on Tuesday. 

Here are the updated odds for each of the remaining teams in Omaha to win the College World Series:

LSU: +150 (bet $10 to win $25 total)
Coastal Carolina: +205 (bet $10 to win $30.50 total)
Arkansas: +360 (bet $10 to win $46 total)
UCLA: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Oregon State: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Louisville: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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