Smith named Perfect Game Pitcher of the Year

Razorback pitcher had stellar season in 2024

From the University of Arkansas

arkansasrazorbacks.com

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas ace Hagen Smith has been named the Perfect Game Pitcher of the Year.

Smith, who also earned firstteam All-America praise from Perfect Game, made his case as the best pitcher in all of college baseball, completing the 2024 campaign with a 9-2 record, 2.04 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 84.0 innings over 16 starts. The junior left-hander, named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year after going 7-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 60.0 innings over 10 SEC starts on the mound, led the country with an NCAArecord 17.3 strikeouts per nine innings on the season and finished ranked first nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (4.4), second in strikeouts (161), fourth in ERA (2.04) and seventh in WHIP (0.89).

The Bullard, Texas, native posted a team-leading 11 quality starts and logged a program-record 11 doubledigit strikeout games on the year, becoming the program’s all-time career strikeout king and single-season strikeout leader during his historic 2024 campaign. Smith, who raised his career strikeout total to 360, overtook Razorback great Nick Schmidt (345) for sole possession of Arkansas’ career strikeout mark in addition to surpassing Razorback great David Walling’s single-season strikeout record of 155 set in 1999 to move atop the program’s single-season strikeout leaderboard (161).

In one of the greatest pitching performances in program history, Smith tied Arkansas’ single- game record with his 17-strikeout gem on 78 pitches over six shutout innings against Oregon State on Feb. 23 in the Kubota College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Smith matched Razorback great Jess Todd’s single-game strikeout record (17), doing so in 40 fewer pitches than Todd threw against South Carolina on May 24, 2007, in the SEC Tournament.

Smith, who is a finalist for the prestigious Golden Spikes Award, Dick Howser Trophy and National Pitcher of the Year Award, was previously named a first-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

He is sixth two-time All-American in program history and the fourth Arkansas pitcher to garner All-America recognition in multiple seasons, joining Phillip Stidham (1990-91), David Walling (1998-99) and Nick Schmidt (2006-07).

Gaeckle Earns Second Freshman All-America Honor

Gabe Gaeckle, meanwhile, earned his second Freshman All-America honor, picking up first-team praise as a relief pitcher from Perfect Game.

The right-hander from Aptos, Calif., who was also named a first-team Freshman All-American by the NCBWA, emerged as the Hogs’ most dependable bullpen arm during the 2024 campaign, going 3-3 with a team-leading seven saves, including six multi-inning saves, with a 2.32 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 42.2 innings over 22 relief outings.

Gaeckle, who became the fifth Arkansas freshman pitcher since 2003, Dave Van Horn’s first year as head coach, to record five or more saves in a season, was even more dominant in conference play, posting a 2-1 record with a 1.59 ERA, 26 strikeouts and three saves in 22.2 innings over 12 appearances to earn a spot on the Freshman All-SEC Team.

Smith, Stovall Named to Rawlings All-Region Team

Smith and second baseman Peyton Stovall have been named to the American Baseball Coaches Association Rawlings South All-Region First Team.

Smith made his case as the

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best pitcher in all of college baseball, completing the 2024 campaign with a 9-2 record, 2.04 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 84.0 innings over 16 starts.

The junior left-hander, named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year after going 7-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 60.0 innings over 10 SEC starts on the mound, led the country with an NCAA-record 17.3 strikeouts per nine innings on the season and finished ranked first nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (4.4), second in strikeouts (161), fourth in ERA (2.04) and seventh in WHIP (0.89).

The Bullard, Texas, native posted a team-leading 11 quality starts and logged a program-record 11 doubledigit strikeout games on the year, becoming the program’s all-time career strikeout king and single-season strikeout leader during his historic 2024 campaign. Smith, who raised his career strikeout total to 360, overtook Razorback great Nick Schmidt (345) for sole possession of Arkansas’ career strikeout mark in addition to surpassing Razorback great David Walling’s single-season strikeout record of 155 set in 1999 to move atop the program’s single-season strikeout leaderboard (161).

Stovall, meanwhile, turned in the best season of his collegiate career after the missing the first 12 games of the campaign due to a preseason injury. The Razorback second baseman slashed a team-leading .340/.409/.535 with nine home runs and 38 RBI over 48 games on the year, racking up a team-high 68 hits with a team-best 12 doubles.

In SEC play, Stovall slashed .315/.390/.512 with six home runs and 20 RBI over 30 games. The Haughton, La., native, who earned secondteam All-SEC praise at second base, led the Hogs in base hits (39) and doubles (9) in conference play.

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