Tag: Gage Wood

Fans on social media more content after Diamond Hogs start with a ‘W’

Arkansas fans find some relief with baseball’s 6-3 opening-day win.

With the football and baseball seasons seemingly going down thew tubes, Arkansas fans have high hopes for the No. 3 Diamond Hogs to rally the fan fan base.

After a first-inning hiccup that had the Razorbacks down 3-0 in their season-opener against James Madison Friday afternoon, the bats began to heat up in a 6-4 victory over the Dukes.

Arkansas All-American lefty Hagen Smith showed some first-game jitters, walking a pair of batters, before surrendering a three-run homer to JMU’s Fenwick Trimble.

But the Arkansas crowd didn’t have to wait long to begin Calling the Hogs, as they plated two runs in each of the first three innings, to take a 6-3 lead. The real celebration began after sophomore Gage Wood sat down the Dukes in order in the ninth inning.

The Hogs are now 21-1 in opening-day games under Head Coach Dave Van Horn.

The two teams are slated to play three more games in as many day, beginning Saturday at 2 p.m.

Here is some of the chatter on X, following the baseball season-opener:

Arkansas reliever Gage Wood on watch list for baseball’s best closer

Arkansas sophomore righty Gage Wood may be one of the best relievers in the country and his place on this watch list proves it.

Gage Wood looks like he might be one of the best relievers in the nation.

The Arkansas sophomore was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award watch list on Wednesday. He had a 4.80 earned-run average with 42 strikeouts in 30 innings last year for the Diamond Hogs.

Wood was so good as a freshman, he was named to the All-SEC Freshman team due in large part to his holding of opponents to a .198 batting average.

The Batesville right-hander is likely to start the season as Arkansas’ closer, though coach Dave Van Horn largely went with a closer-by-committee approach last year. As a freshman, Wood recorded five saves, a mark only achieved by three other pitchers (Brady Tygart, Nolan Sanburn and DJ Baxendale) in Arkansas history.

The last Arkansas ace reliver was pitcher Kevin Kopps who not only won NCBWA Stopper of the Year in 2021, but also won the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy as the nation’s best overall player.

Arkansas is set to open its 2024 regular season against James Madison in a four-game set starting Friday at 2 p.m. from Baum-Walker Stadium.

Check out every Razorbacks player and coach to earn All-SEC honors

Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn was named SEC Coach of the Year for the third time Monday. Four of his players earned All-SEC honors.

Arkansas has just been a different program under Dave Van Horn’s watch. And the 2023 may have been his best coaching job in 21 years at the program’s helm.

The league noticed, too, as Van Horn was named SEC Coach of the Year on Monday. Arkansas won the SEC West for the seventh time and fourth since 2018 this year. His Razorbacks will carry the No. 2-seed into this week’s SEC Tournament.

Van Horn previously won the award in 2004 and 2021. He is now one of three active coaches – joining Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin and Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan – as three-time winners.

DVH was not the only Razorbacks baseballer honored Monday. As four Arkansas players earned All-SEC marks from the league’s coaches. Check the complete list below.

Four Razorbacks were named to All-SEC teams by the league’s head coaches, led by Hagen Smith’s first-team selection at starting pitcher and All-Defensive honors. Kendall Diggs picked up second-team recognition at designated hitter, while pitcher Gage Wood and outfielder Tavian Josenberger garnered Freshman All-SEC and All-Defensive praise, respectively.