It’s only fitting that the historic 2025 Murray State baseball season came to end because of a history-making performance in the Men’s College World Series.
The Racers faced off against the third-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks for the ninth time ever with a chance to extend their stay in Omaha, Nebraska. Murray State entered the contest 0-8 all-time against the Razorbacks and this was the first time they were considered the home team, despite playing in a neutral stadium.
Murray State and Arkansas were deadlocked until the third inning when Arkansas scored the opening run behind back-to-back-to-back base hits from the Razorbacks. Senior starting pitcher Isaac Silva only gave up the one run in the third despite Arkansas getting two other runners in scoring position.
The Racers didn’t have the same success against Arkansas’ starting pitcher, Gage Wood, who struck out six Murray State batters in their first full time through the lineup.
Murray State’s defense, behind Silva’s pitching, kept the Razorbacks at bay. The Racers allowed six batters into scoring position through the first six innings, but only allowed the single run.
Arkansas plated two more runs across in the top of the seventh inning behind three straight Arkansas base hits and an error attributed to redshirt senior outfielder Dustin Mercer.
Those three runs were the only runs scored in the ball game but the eyes of the sports world were on Wood because through 7 innings, he had a perfect game bid going. No pitcher has ever thrown a perfect game in the College World Series and he was staring down the barrel of the greatest accomplishment a pitcher can have.
However, in the top of the eighth inning, Wood hit redshirt sophomore infielder Dom Decker on a 2-2 count to give Murray State their first baserunner of the game. Despite the perfect game bid being broken, Wood still had a chance to throw a no-hitter. Only two no-hitters have ever been thrown at the College World Series, with the most recent one being in 1960.
Murray State couldn’t take advantage of the baserunner, as they popped out in foul territory and struck out swinging twice to end the eighth inning.
Murray State made quick work of the Razorbacks in the ninth inning, retiring the first two batters and catching the third stealing at second after a base hit.
The Racers had three outs remaining to mount a comeback and knock Wood’s no-hit bid off. Graduate infielder Nico Bermeo came in to pinch-hit and was hit by a 1-2 count fastball. Murray State had a baserunner and seemed like they could build momentum.
However, after Arkansas challenged the call, Bermeo was called out after it was determined that he leaned into the pitch. Wood followed up the overturned hit-by-pitch call with back-to-back strikeouts to secure the no-hitter and finish with 19 strikeouts for the game. The final score of the game was 3-0.
The 19 strikeouts Wood had were the most in a nine inning game in College World Series history. Two historic achievements from one player. On the other side, the “Cinderella” run by Murray State came to an end.
There might not be a more fitting way for a historical team run to end than by a historical individual performance.
