Two Razorbacks make All-CWS Team after run to semifinals

Good performances on the mound, at the plate by Hogs in College World Series rewarded

Arkansas Razorbacks center fielder Justin Thomas Jr. (4) catches for an out against the LSU Tigers during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas left Omaha empty-handed from a team perspective, still searching for the elusive first title in program history after being eliminated by LSU in the semifinalists.

Two players were named to the All-College World Series team as a result after their only two losses in Omaha were to LSU, who won the finals over Coastal Carolina in two straight games.

Pitcher Gage Wood and centerfielder Justin Thomas Jr. were two of the 11 players named to the team following LSU's two-game sweep over Coastal Carolina in the finals to win their eighth title in school history.

The Razorbacks were just one three schools to have more than one player make the team.

Your 2025 #MCWS All-Tournament Team‼️ pic.twitter.com/FEI1YScG2W

— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 22, 2025

Thomas finished the trip to Omaha 8-for-14 (.571), with three RBIs and a double. Despite going 0-for-3 against LSU in the opening game, Thomas caught fire in the final three games, including a 4-for-4 performance out of the nine-spot against Murray State.

He looked to have put the Hogs on the path to a decisive final game against LSU when he hit a two-run single in the top of the ninth off LSU's Jake Mayers in the first pitch with one out.

JUSTIN THOMAS JR. IS THAT GUY, PAL pic.twitter.com/XtjLWIbilu

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) June 19, 2025

A series of misplays in the bottom of the ninth became Arkansas' undoing. An unattempted double play by shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, an error on first baseman Reese Robinett and a misplay in the outfield from Charles Davalan, allowed LSU to score three in the ninth and save their pitching for the finals.

Starter Gage Wood was the other Razorback representative after throwing the third no-hitter in CWS history and the first in 65 years against Murray State in a elimination game.

Wood needed just 119 pitches and struck out 19 hitters and faced just one over the minimum. It was Thomas' 4-for-4 day that provided the offense in just a 3-0 game.

Wood set all kinds of program and CWS single-game records, including the most strikeouts in any game in Arkansas history. He broke Hagen Smith's record of 17 set against Oregon State in 2024 and Jess Todd in 2007.

It was also the most strikeouts in a nine-inning game by a single pitcher in College World Series history.

A NO-HITTER AND MCWS-RECORD 19 STRIKEOUTS FOR GAGE WOOD!

What a performance for the Arkansas pitcher 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QC4E7r1Nrl

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 16, 2025

It's also just the 11th solo no-hitter in school history and the first nine inning solo no-no in nearly 30 years. Richie Nye had the last one in a 14-0 win over Iowa State on March, 1, 1996.

LSU's Kade Anderson was named the Tournament MVP after two stellar outings. Anderson allowed just one earned run across 16 innings with 17 strikeouts.

His seven innings of one-run ball against Arkansas is what forced the Hogs to go through the losers bracket.

LSU Tigers starting pitcher Kade Anderson (32) throws against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Anderson backed up that performance with a complete game shutout in a 1-0 win in the first game of the finals against Coastal Carolina.

Outside of Thomas, the Arkansas offense ran into a buzzsaw of LSU pitching. The rest of the team combined to go 25-for-117 (.213) in Omaha. The 3-4-5 hitters in the order (Logan Maxwell, Ryder Helfrick and Cam Kozeal) got just seven hits across the four games.

All-CWS Breakdown By School:

LSU: 4
Louisville: 3
Arkansas: 2
Coastal Carolina: 1
Arizona: 1
Oregon State, UCLA, Murray State: 0