Root twirled a career-long 7.2 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in Friday night’s series-opening shutout win at top 25 ranked Vanderbilt, helping lead the Razorbacks to their first series sweep in Nashville since 1994. The Fort Myers, Fla., native, who earned his team-leading fourth win and third quality start of the season, blanked the Commodores over 7.2 innings of work, the longest outing by an SEC pitcher during the week, and carried a no-hitter into the fifth.

Root, who became the first Arkansas pitcher to record back-to-back starts of at least seven innings since 2022, combined with relief pitchers Aiden Jimenez and Dylan Carter for the Hogs’ first three-hit shutout since 2024. He is the second Razorback, along with Wehiwa Aloy (Feb. 24 & March 10), to earn player of the week honors from the SEC this year.

For the season, Root boats a 4-1 record with a 3.23 ERA and a team-leading 53 strikeouts across a team-high 39.0 innings on the mound. The lefty is limiting opposing hitters to a meager .212 batting average on the year.

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