Hometown Hurler Called to Save Razorbacks Season
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn was quick and to the point when asked how his starter Gage Wood would do in an elimination game against Southeast Missouri State.
"I expect him to get out there and get after it or I wouldn't start him," Van Horn said.
For the second start in a row, Wood will be tasked with additional pressure because the Razorbacks failed to get a win in a Hagen Smith start. In his only conference start, the Batesville native was tasked with holding down a potent Texas A&M lineup and avoiding a winner-take-all game to clinch the SEC West. Wood delivered the goods, limiting one of the top offenses in the country to just three runs across five solid innings.
Now, Wood has been called upon to clean up another mess left behind by his pitching mates. Smith walked four batters and gave up his first home run in over two months in a 7-6 loss to Kansas State. With Arkansas' top bullpen arm, Gabe Gaeckle, availability in question for the rest of the regional after throwing a career-high 63 pitches Thursday, the consequences of not delivering will mean the last of this Arkansas team together.
It's quite the shift in the pecking order for a pitcher who didn't seem to have a key role on this team. Forced into a bullpen role as a freshman due to a myriad of injuries his freshman year, Wood seemed lost in the shuffle early on this year with the seemingly endless depth on the pitching staff. It wasn't until a two-inning save against Ole Miss on April 5 in which he struck out five that he really got his sophomore campaign underway.
"It’s good to always have a little bit of success," Wood said after the Ole Miss appearance. "That’s just one outing. Just got to keep going.”
In the 25 1/3 innings he's pitched since the Ole Miss series, he's pitched to a 4.97 ERA, which is higher than his season ERA of 3.86 but half of the 14 earned runs came in two appearances, both against Kentucky.
Now with the pitching depth eroded due to injury and Van Horn's ace card gone, it's Wood's turn to take the mound and bail the Hogs out once more, only this time there is no safety net.
Wood and the rest of the Razorbacks will take the field against SEMO 1 p.m. Sunday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. If Arkansas wins against SEMO, they will need to beat Kansas State in the regional final twice to advance to the super regionals.
HOGS FEED:
• Frustrated Van Horn Still Keeping Positive Outlook Headed to Big Sunday
• Comeback falls short, pushing Razorbacks season to brink in Regional
• Razorbacks Give 2025 Quarterback Protection With Oklahoma Lineman's Commitment
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DANIEL SHI