Batesville native Gage Wood records first save for Diamond Hogs

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KAIT) - A Region 8 Razorback had a milestone on the mound.

Gage Wood recorded his first save on Sunday. The Batesville native entered the game in the bottom of the 8th, Alabama had the game tying run on 2nd. Wood got a lineout to get out of the jam. He proceeded to retire the Crimson Tide in order in the 9th to secure the Arkansas series win.

“Executing pitches really,” Wood said in the postgame press conference. “Threw the fastball. And then I had been working on my slider, cause I had lost feel for a little bit. And I had been working on it every day with Dylan, my catch partner. And then today, I was throwing it again, and it helped me get some outs today.”

The former Diamond Pioneer credits a rough debut for helping him progress as a Diamond Hog pitcher. “I got thrown out there in probably the biggest crowd that I’ll see as a freshman, our 2nd game of the year against TCU. And it did not go well at all for me. That made me better and stronger as a player. And I had to fight through some adversity. But it helped a lot, and really made me grow as a pitcher.”

Wood has appeared in 12 games this season. He’s 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA, allowed 6 hits, 4 earned runs, and 15 strikeouts. #5 Arkansas travels to Ole Miss for a SEC series starting Thursday.

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