Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Gage Wooden accomplished arguably the best begin in males’s Faculty World Sequence historical past on Monday, throwing a no-hitter with 19 strikeouts in a 3-0 win over Murray State.
How historic was Wooden’s outing? And who precisely is the 2025 MLB Draft prospect, a comparatively unknown participant earlier than his beautiful efficiency?
Listed below are 10 issues to find out about Wooden and one of many best pitching performances in CWS historical past.
Third MCWS no-hitter
Wooden grew to become simply the third pitcher for the reason that inaugural CWS in 1947 to throw a no-hitter on the championship event, becoming a member of Jim Ehler (1950 Texas) and Jim Wixson (1960 Oklahoma State). Over time, future MLB greats together with Roger Clemens (Texas), Mike Mussina (Stanford) and Paul Skenes (LSU) took the mound on the CWS, but none had been ready o obtain what Wooden did on Monday.
It was a singular efficiency which may by no means be replicated.
First no-hitter at Charles Schwab Area
Since opening in 2011, Charles Schwab Area, which can be the house of the Creighton Blue Jays, has topped 13 males’s school baseball nationwide champions. However till Monday, it had by no means seen a no-hitter.
Longest CWS perfect-game bid this century
Wooden was shut to creating much more historical past. He was excellent by seven innings, retiring the primary 21 batters he confronted earlier than hitting Murray State infielder Dom Decker with a pitch to begin the eighth inning. Wooden ended the sport with six consecutive outs, together with 4 strikeouts.
Per Arkansas Baseball, it was the longest perfect-game bid on the CWS since 1999, establishing a contemporary traditional for future pitchers to purpose towards.
Retains Arkansas alive in 2025 MCWS
A 19-strikeout efficiency is unbelievable by itself. A 19-strikeout no-hitter is much more ridiculous. However a 19-strikeout no-hitter whereas dealing with elimination? Arkansas ought to go forward and fee a Gage Wooden statue.
Wooden delivered his epic when the Razorbacks wanted it most. They misplaced their CWS opener to SEC rival LSU on Saturday and would have been the latest national seed to crash out after No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Vanderbilt misplaced within the regionals.
As an alternative, Arkansas, which has the third-shortest odds (+360) to win the CWS, lived to play one other recreation on Tuesday, in opposition to the loser of UCLA-LSU, scheduled for later Monday.
Wooden has an elite fastball…
What stood out most from Wooden’s historic efficiency was his fastball, which devastated a number of Murray State batters.
His heater has wonderful velocity and barely dips earlier than reaching the catcher, forcing hitters to succeed in it excessive within the zone.
Per Baseball America, getting into Monday, Wooden’s fastball produced a 42 p.c whiff charge, 32 p.c chase charge and 29 p.c in-zone mis charge.
Based mostly on the next highlights, it is easy to grasp why.
Wooden arguably obtained higher as the sport progressed, reaching 97 mph on the radar gun on his sixth-inning punch-out to finish the body.
His velocity by no means waned. Wooden additionally hit 97 mph on his career-high 14th strikeout within the seventh inning, in addition to the sport’s ultimate out to finish the outing with an exclamation level.
Per ESPN play-by-play announcer Mike Monaco, Murray State batters whiffed 25 occasions on 45 swings in opposition to Wooden’s fastball, which was liable for 13 of his 19 strikeouts.
…and is getting scorching on the proper time
Since the start of the regionals, Wooden has a 1.99 earned run common in 18.1 innings, permitting 4 earned runs, six hits and two walks with 32 strikeouts whereas dealing with 64 batters.
Along with his electrical fastball, Wooden’s off-speed pitches had been simply as sharp in opposition to Murray State. He notched his seventh consecutive strikeout within the backside of the fifth inning with a curveball, which he additionally used to shut out the eighth inning.
Missed two months earlier this season with a shoulder harm
A right shoulder injury shut Wooden down after simply two February begins, and he did not return till mid-April. In 5 appearances from April 18 by Might 17, he posted a 7.44 ERA, permitting 17 hits at 24 strikeouts in 12.1 innings.
Wooden’s harm seems to be absolutely behind him. It might need been the one factor holding him again.
Wooden is an Arkansas native
Wooden attended Batesville Excessive Faculty, 230 miles east of the College of Arkansas in Little Rock. Per the Arkansas team website, he was Prep Baseball Report’s 2022 Arkansas Participant of the Yr and No. 3 total prospect within the state out of highschool.
Postseason has been redemption for Wooden
The final two postseasons have not gone Wooden’s means. Final season, Arkansas entered the NCAA Match because the No. 5 nationwide seed however was upset in the regionals by Southeast Missouri State.
Wooden began the Razorbacks’ elimination recreation loss, permitting a first-inning residence run and 4 earned runs altogether in three innings.
He got here out of the bullpen throughout a 2023 elimination game in opposition to TCU and allowed 4 earned runs in 1.2 innings. Arkansas misplaced, 12-4.
No-hitter may solidify him as first-round 2025 MLB Draft prospect
Wooden might need secured his place as a first-round choose in subsequent month’s MLB Draft.
Per Baseball America, he ranked because the No. 94 total draft prospect in its Might 28 replace, with the location praising his fastball and improved command.
“He minimize his stroll charge from 16.4% in 2023 to 4.5% in 2024,” Baseball America wrote.
With a lot to love about Wooden’s recreation, it would not be a shock if he is one of many first 30 names referred to as when the draft’s first spherical commences on July 13.
