Arkansas’ Gage Wood pitched the third no-hitter in College World Series (CWS) history and the first in 65 years on Monday, striking out a record 19 and never letting Murray State come close to getting a hit in the Razorbacks’ 3-0 victory.
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, who set the CWS record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game, was subdued in the aftermath.
“The only special thing was I didn’t want to go home. That’s it,” he said. “We’re not going home. We get to play tomorrow night. But it’s pretty cool.”
Arkansas (49-14) plays another elimination game Tuesday night against the loser of Monday night’s game between LSU and UCLA.
Murray State (44-17), only the fourth No. 4 regional seed since 1999 to reach Omaha, went 0-2 in its first appearance.
Wood’s bid for a perfect game ended in the eighth when his 2-2 breaking ball hit Dom Decker in his back foot.
