The clouds gathering over the Arkansas Razorback baseball team's season continued to mount over the weekend with a third-straight SEC series loss to the Florida Gators over the weekend, but it was not without a silver lining. Those rays of hope shone out in Arkansas' only win of the three-game series at Condrone Family Park in Gainesville when Razorback pitchers Gage Wood, Gabe Gaeckle and Aiden Jimenz teamed up for a five-hit 7-0 shutout victory.
Gage Wood and Gabe Gaeckle named Co-Razorbacker of the week
Their collective effort was Arkansas' third-shutout in the previous four games and earned them the Razorbackers of the Week nod.
Wood, who was pitching in just his second game back from shoulder surgery, got the start and pitched the first three innings. He allowed only one hit while striking out five Florida hitters. It was a vast improvement over his first game back a week ago against Texas A&M when Wood threw with his characteristic high velocity but couldn't get out of the first inning in a start against the Aggies.
"He had a really good bullpen is what I was told by coach (pitching coach Matt) Hobbs (Friday)," Razorback skipper Dave Van Horn said after the game. "I thought he had great stuff last week. He just didn't have the breaking ball, and obviously he didn't command his fast ball quite as well. But (Saturday) it was just fun to watch. It was three innings of high-octane carrying a fastball and a good breaking ball."
We’re still Scoreless after ✌️in Game 2. The Hogs have been a bit too aggressive at the plate early on(chasing too many pitches), but, defensively Gage Wood has looked solid on the Bump in his 2nd Start since returning from injury(retiring all 6 Gators faced & collecting 3… pic.twitter.com/Ndy538E1uk
— Rabid Razorback Fans (@Rabid_Razorback) April 26, 2025
Wood came into the game on a 35-40 pitch count and exceeded expectations Van Horn said.
"Even if he didn't get that last guy out, that was going to be his last hitter and we were going to the pen," he said. "35 would have been ideal. I think he ended up throwing with 42, so that was right where we wanted it. Hopefully, he gained a lot of confidence. It's just like a basketball player that's been out. When he starts seeing the ball go through the hoop, man you gain a little bit of confidence. He definitely did that."
At that point Gaeckle, who came into the season as the SEC's preseason pitcher of the year but has struggled as the team's No. 1 starter but has looked much more comfortable the last two weeks in his traditional role coming out of the bull pen, came on to pitch three scoreless innings of his own. Over three and a third scoreless innings, he gave up one hit with a pair of strikeouts and four walks to raise his record to 4-1 on the season.
Jimenez — who emerged as Arkansas' primary bullpen ace while Gaeckle was in the starting role — then came on to secure the shutout win. On the season, he leads the team with a 1.88 earned run average, while holding opposing hiters to a .208 batting average.
RHP Aiden Jimenez (@RazorbackBSB) was really good out of the ‘pen. Controls zone & throws strikes, full mix to compete with; FB 92-94 & works in a two seamer, 2600 RPM CT upper 80’s, horiz. action to SL @ 80 & CH to play with too.
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) April 13, 2025
R-So./‘25 Elig. pic.twitter.com/OfEG2ARYyw
Saturday he gave up three hits while throwing 26 strikes on 39 pitches.
"(He's)Just a strike thrower with heavy sink," Van Horn said. "He's got a good cutter and he did get a strikeout. I looked up on the board and it said 96. It looked like it came out of his hand pretty good. He's been better but his stuff is really good. He came in and did exactly what we need him to do and that's finish the game."