UCLA Baseball Faces Possible Elimination After Opening Loss
The Bruins have little room for error after dropping yesterday's game against St. Mary's.
The Bruins dropped yesterday’s game after closer Easton Hawk gave up a ninth-inning homer to St. Mary’s designated hitter Jacob Johnson, and as a result, UCLA now finds itself in a win-or-go-home situation for the remainder of the Los Angeles Regional. Meanwhile, the Virginia Tech Hokies, the number two seed in the region, lost their game to Cal Poly, 6-2, setting up this afternoon’s elimination game. First pitch is set for 1 pm PT and today’s Bruin game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Last Time Out
In case you missed Dimitri’s postgame from yesterday, UCLA’s game against the Gaels was a lot like dinner at Olive Garden: lots of breadsticks. St. Mary’s drew first blood in the top of the fourth when Johnson took a 3-1 pitch from Wylan Moss and sent it over the wall in right.
UCLA got it back in the bottom half of the inning when Roman Martin homered to deep center, and the bottom of the fifth saw Trey Gudoy lead off with a double. Phoenix Call laid down a bunt to move Gudoy to third and, after a walk to Dean Martin, Roch Cholowsky scored Gudoy on a sacrifice fly to left, giving UCLA a 2-1 lead.
But that lead was short-lived as the Gaels tied it back up in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by Makoa Sniffen, which scored Tanner Griffith who led off with a walk.
The game remained tied heading into the ninth, and John Savage turned to closer Easton Hawk for the final three outs. Unfortunately, he gave Johnson a pitch that went over the right field wall.
The Bruins had Call on first with Cholowsky at the plate, but the probable MLB top draft pick didn’t get enough and he ended up flying out to center to end the game.
Virginia Tech Hokies
In the nitecap, the Hokies gave up a pair of runs to Cal Poly in the top of the second and could never recover.
After Virginia Tech cut the Mustangs’ lead in half in the bottom of the second, Cal Poly went on to add an insurance run in each of the next four innings to go up 6-1.
The Hokies cut the deficit to four runs in the seventh, following a leadoff double by Pete Daniel, and he took third on an error by Cal Poly rightfielder Dylan Kordic. With runners on the corners and still no outs, Owen Petrich ground into double play which scored Daniel from third. That was the last run Virginia Tech could muster and the Mustangs took the game, 6-2.
2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament Los Angeles Regional
Game 3
Teams: #1 seed UCLA Bruins (51-7) vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (30-25)
When: 1:00pm PT, Saturday, May 30, 2026
Where: Jackie Robinson Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
TV: ESPNU with Roxy Bernstein and Wes Clements
Live Stream: WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app
Live Audio: uclabruins.com with Nick Koop and Sid Iyler
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Probable Pitchers:
UCLA - Michael Barnett, RHP, Sr., (6-0, 4.15 ERA)
VT - Brett Renfrow, RHP, Jr., (5-4, 4.65 ERA)
Regional Notes:
UCLA
Virginia Tech
Game 4
Teams: St. Mary’s Gaels (35-25) vs. Cal Poly Mustangs (37-22)
When: 6:00pm PT, Friday, May 29, 2026
Where: Jackie Robinson Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
TV: ESPN+ with Roxy Bernstein and Wes Clements
Live Stream: WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Probable Pitchers:
SMC – Sam Kretch, RHP, So. (4-2, 6.55 ERA)
CP – Carson Turnquist, RHP, R.Jr. (8-2, 3.50 ERA)
This is your NCAA Baseball Tournament Los Angeles Regional Day 2 open thread.
Go Bruins!!!
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