A Historic Day In Omaha: Gage Wood Delivers College World Series No-Hitter Masterclass

OMAHA, Neb. — In a moment that will be remembered for generations in college baseball lore, Arkansas junior Gage Wood stepped onto the mound in Omaha on Monday and delivered a pitching performance for the ages. In front of a roaring crowd and a national audience, the Razorbacks’ right-hander fired the third no-hitter in Men’s College World Series (MCWS) history, striking out a record 19 batters in a dazzling 3-0 victory over Murray State.

It wasn’t just dominant—it was near flawless. Not since 1960 had a no-hitter been recorded on college baseball’s biggest stage, making Wood’s feat both rare and awe-inspiring. He joined an elite club of only two others: Jim Ehrler of Texas in 1950 and Jim Wixson of Oklahoma State in 1960.

And he did it with flair, fire, and composure beyond his years.

From Closer to Legend: Wood’s Unlikely Rise

Gage Wood’s journey to this moment wasn’t paved with ease or constant success. Just two years ago, he was a freshman closer, tasked with saving games in the late innings. As a sophomore, he transitioned to middle relief. This season, as a junior, he emerged as a weekend starter—his most critical role yet.

But even that journey hit a bump when he suffered a shoulder injury in February during a game against Michigan. It sidelined him for nearly two months, and for a while, it wasn’t clear when—or if—he’d return at full strength.

Then came April. And slowly, the Gage Wood Arkansas knew it had returned. First in flashes. Then in flames.

In his June 1 regional start against Creighton, he threw a then-career-long six innings with 13 strikeouts. A week later, he provided a clutch outing in the super regional against Tennessee. But June 16, 2025, was something altogether different.

It was historic.

The Game: Nine Innings of Dominance

Facing Murray State—a Cinderella story in their own right making their first MCWS appearance—Wood needed just 118 pitches to complete one of the most dominant games in the sport’s history.

He struck out 19 of the 27 batters he faced, setting a new MCWS nine-inning strikeout record.

From the first inning, it was clear that Wood had electric stuff. His fastball had zip and precision. His changeup darted away from barrels. His breaking ball had enough bite to make professional scouts salivate.

In the first five innings, Wood was untouchable—literally. He struck out nine of the first 12 batters, including an eye-popping run of seven straight from the third through fifth innings. Of his first 20 fastballs, 19 were strikes, an efficiency and command that even Major Leaguers struggle to maintain.

It wasn’t until the eighth inning that perfection slipped away.

With one out and two strikes on Murray State’s Dom Decker, Wood unleashed a sharp breaking ball that clipped Decker’s back foot. The umpire signaled hit-by-pitch. Perfection was gone.

But Wood didn’t sulk.

Instead, he got a foul out, then roared back with two consecutive strikeouts to end the frame. As he walked off the mound, he looked skyward, shouted, and danced off the field—equal parts adrenaline and relief. It was the only baserunner he allowed all day.

The Ninth Inning: Finishing with Flair

As Wood jogged back onto the field for the final inning, the Arkansas fans behind the first-base dugout broke into the iconic “Woo Pig Sooie!” chant. It echoed through Charles Schwab Field and set the stage for what would be a dramatic finish.

Pinch-hitter Nico Bermeo stepped in and took a fastball off his elbow—again threatening the no-hitter.

But this time, Arkansas challenged the call. The Razorbacks’ dugout argued that Bermeo leaned into the pitch rather than making an effort to avoid it. After a video review, the umpires overturned the call, ruling Bermeo out.

The no-hitter was still alive.

Wood responded like a man possessed. He struck out Connor Cunningham and Jonathan Hogart to end the game. The final pitch—his 118th—was a blazing fastball that Hogart swung through, and the celebration began.

Teammates stormed the mound. Wood was mobbed, hugged, tackled, lifted. The dogpile moved from the pitcher’s mound to between second and third base, a swirling storm of joy and disbelief.

Defense Steps Up: Robinett’s Key Snag

Though Wood was undeniably the star, his defense played the few moments it needed to play—especially in the seventh inning.

Murray State’s Carson Garner sent a scorcher down the first base line that looked like it might break up the no-hitter. But Reese Robinett, Arkansas’ first baseman, moved swiftly to his left, snagged the hot grounder, and stepped on the bag to end the inning.

It wasn’t a highlight-reel dive, but it was the toughest contact Murray State could manage all day.

Razorbacks Capitalize Late

Offensively, the game was a pitcher’s duel for six innings. Arkansas only managed a third-inning RBI single from Charles Davalan to take a 1-0 lead.

Murray State’s Isaac Silva was solid, going six innings while allowing just six hits and one run, striking out seven. He consistently escaped jams, holding Arkansas to 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and leaving multiple runners stranded in three different innings.

But once Silva exited, Arkansas finally created some breathing room.

In the seventh inning, SEC Player of the Year Wehiwa Aloy doubled off reliever Graham Kelham, driving in a run. A third run scored moments later when right fielder Dustin Mercer misplayed Logan Maxwell’s shallow fly ball, letting it sneak under his glove.

That was all the support Wood needed.

Murray State’s Magic Runs Out

Murray State (44-17) had already made history just by reaching Omaha. As a No. 4 regional seed, they were only the fourth team since 1999 to make it that far. Their dream run, however, ended with a thud—two straight losses and zero runs scored in their first MCWS appearance.

But their season shouldn’t be remembered for the ending. Their path to Omaha brought excitement to a program that few expected to still be standing in mid-June.

On the other side, Arkansas (49-14) survived elimination and moved on to face the winner of LSU vs. UCLA in another do-or-die game Tuesday night.

Legacy Sealed: Wood Joins College Baseball Royalty

What makes Gage Wood’s no-hitter truly remarkable is not just the stats—but the context, the emotion, and the history. To not allow a hit—on the sport’s grandest stage—after an injury-plagued season, is the stuff of baseball mythology.

Only two men had done it before him, and neither had thrown as many strikeouts in a nine-inning MCWS game as Wood’s 19.

In a tournament where dreams are often crushed, Gage Wood created a dream of his own.

He might not have thrown a perfect game. But what he did throw was perfect enough to be remembered forever.

Final Box Score:

Arkansas: 3 Runs | 8 Hits | 0 Errors
Murray State: 0 Runs | 0 Hits | 1 Error

Winning Pitcher: Gage Wood (4-1)
Losing Pitcher: Isaac Silva

Source: Arkansas’ Gage Wood pitches third no-hitter in MCWS history

What’s Next?

Arkansas stays alive and moves on to another elimination game, facing either LSU or UCLA on Tuesday night. Gage Wood, however, has already punched his name into MCWS immortality—and possibly raised his future MLB Draft stock in the process.

No matter what happens next in Omaha, June 16, 2025, will forever be known as Gage Wood Day.