Arkansas was looking for an ace in its quest for its first College World Series title.
It found one in the transfer portal with junior left-hander Zach Root from East Carolina. The Fort Myers High product has anchored the rotation in his first season and has helped the Razorbacks reach Omaha for the 12th time.
“He’s been everything we were hoping, and more honestly,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said of Root.
In 17 starts, Root has gone 8-5, pitching 92.2 innings with 119 strikeouts, 31 walks allowed with a 3.59 ERA. Opposing teams are batting .221 against him.
He’ll get the call on Saturday, June 14 when No. 3 seed Arkansas faces No. 6 LSU at 6 p.m. The Razorbacks (48-13) and Tigers (48-15) are the two highest seeds remaining in the bracket. The other two teams on their side of the double-elimination bracket are No. 15 UCLA and Murray State.
In two starts at the NCAA tournament, Root has allowed one earned run and struck out 13 batters across 13 innings.
“Just keep the train rolling. I want to go out there and set the tone for however long we’re here and put my team in a good chance to win,” Root said.
Watch Arkansas and Zach Root on Fubo
Here’s what you need to know about Root ahead of the CWS:
How has Zach Root fared against LSU?
Root faced SEC rival LSU on May 9. He allowed two runs in six innings and was in position to secure a victory, but the Arkansas bullpen lost the lead and then the Razorbacks lost the game 5-4 in 10 innings.
It will be a pitching rematch as LSU will start lefty Kade Anderson (10-1, 3.58 ERA). Considered a top-five pick in the upcoming MLB Draft, Anderson held Arkansas to three runs in 5⅔ innings on May 9. Anderson is coming off his worst start of the year with seven earned runs in seven innings against West Virginia in the super regionals.
How did Zach Root’s bad words stir controversy against Tennessee
Root started and allowed one earned run and one hit in seven innings of a 4-3 win in the first game of the NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional against Tennessee.
But it wasn’t just his pitching that had people talking. Root let his emotions get the best of him when he walked off the mound in the middle of the sixth inning.
After forcing Tennessee’s Andrew Fischer into an inning-ending double play, Root directed some family unfriendly words in Fischer’s direction. There was a possibility Root could have been thrown ouyt of the game but after the umpires gathered they issued warnings to both dugouts.
“The crowd was pretty special,” Root said. “I can say the adrenaline was pumping a little more than it usually is.”
Zach Root at Fort Myers High
Root had a dominant senior season for Fort Myers in 2022, finishing with a 6-2 record and a 1.50 ERA, where he struck out 96 batters (13.09 K/7 ratio) across 51 1/3 innings while surrendering just two extra-base hits all year. Of his 96 strikeouts, 65 of them came against teams that advanced to the postseason in their respective classifications. Root won the Southwest Florida Baseball Player of the Year award in 2022.
Overall, he compiled a 13-3 overall record and a 2.16 earned run average while striking out 176 batters in 123.1 innings during his Green Wave career. He also hit .308 (68-for-221) with 46 runs scored and 39 RBI. Root signed with East Carolina out of high school.
Zach Root started college career at East Carolina
Root pitched two seasons for the Pirates. He earned ACC All-Freshman Team honors going 3-3 record with a 5.33 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 53.2 innings including 13 starts in 20 appearances. As a sophomore, he posted a 6-2 record with a 3.56 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 68.1 innings. He issued only 21 walks and limited opposing hitters to a .228 batting average.
− Jackson Fuller of the Fort Smith Southwest Times Record contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Who is Zach Root? Arkansas ace leads Razorbacks into College World Series
Reporting by Ed Reed, Fort Myers News-Press / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
