NW Democrat-Gazette

Knock on Wood

Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said freshman reliever Gage Wood had an encouraging bullpen session this week after struggling in his last three appearances.

“He threw a great bullpen the other day,” Van Horn said. “It’s kind of interesting. He had been so good, and then it didn’t go good there his last three outings, and you’re going ‘What happened?’”

Wood, a right-hander from Batesville, earned five saves in SEC games against Alabama, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Mississippi State and picked up a win over South Carolina in a span of seven series.

In Wood’s last three outings, two at Vanderbilt and one against Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament, he has combined to get 3 outs and allowed 5 runs, 3 hits, 4 walks, hit a batter and had a balk.

“We feel like he’s back on track,” Van Horn said. “Man, this game sometimes, it’s so mental.

“You just let everything get in your head and bother you. Next thing you know, you can’t hit, you can’t field, you can’t throw strikes.

“Sometimes you get off to the side a little bit, and you regroup and slow the game down, and you’re back in there again. We’ve got to have him if we’re going to get through this thing and have a chance to play after this weekend. He’s going to be out there.”

College Baseball

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2023-06-02T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-02T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://edition.nwaonline.com/article/282561612559820

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