Los Angeles, CA- Saint Mary’s completed a stunning NCAA Regional upset Sunday night, rallying from a three-run deficit and eliminating top-seeded UCLA with a 6-5 victory in 10 innings at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Makoa Sniffen delivered the game-winning RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning, capping another dramatic comeback by the Gaels (36-26), who defeated the Bruins for the second time in three days and knocked the nation’s No. 1-ranked team out of the NCAA Tournament.
The loss ended UCLA’s season at 52-8 and denied the Bruins a trip to the Super Regionals despite spending the entire season ranked No. 1 in the country.
Saint Mary’s once again proved unfazed by the moment, scoring five of its six runs with two outs and overcoming a 5-2 deficit in front of a stunned home crowd.
“That’s a tough clubhouse to leave,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “Those guys have been such wonderful Bruins, teammates and guys to coach. They’ve won over 100 games in the last two years. No one in the country has done that. We didn’t play up to our standards this weekend, but that doesn’t take away from what this team accomplished.”
UCLA appeared poised to force another day in the regional after jumping on the Gaels early.
The Bruins opened the scoring in the first inning when Roman Martin drove in Roch Cholowsky with an RBI single. UCLA added two more runs in the second on a Trey Gudoy RBI double and Dean West’s run-scoring groundout, building a 3-0 lead against Saint Mary’s starter John Damozonio.
Saint Mary’s chipped away almost immediately.
The Gaels scored once in the second inning after stringing together three hits, then cut the deficit to 3-2 in the third when Ian Armstrong led off the inning with a solo home run to center field.
UCLA responded in the fifth.
West launched a solo home run to right field, his seventh of the season, and the Bruins loaded the bases later in the inning. Will Gasparino was hit by a pitch with the bases full, forcing home another run and extending the lead to 5-2.
But the Bruins could not deliver the knockout blow.
Jacob Johnson, who tormented UCLA throughout the regional, blasted a solo home run in the fifth inning, his third homer against the Bruins in the tournament. Saint Mary’s added another run in the sixth when Diego Castellanos lined a two-out RBI single, trimming the deficit to 5-4.
UCLA starter Angel Cervantes turned in one of the best performances of his young career, striking out a career-high seven batters over 5 1/3 innings. The freshman repeatedly escaped trouble and left with the Bruins still leading.
“I thought Angel really grew up,” Savage said. “He turned a corner. It’s taken time, but he pitched very well today in a very offensive ballpark. He’s going to be a star.”
The Bruins carried a one-run lead into the ninth before Saint Mary’s mounted its defining rally. Tanner Griffith reached and eventually moved into scoring position. With two outs, Armstrong lined a single that scored Griffith and tied the game 5-5, silencing the UCLA crowd and forcing extra innings.
In the 10th, the Gaels struck again.
After Griffith reached base and Saint Mary’s put another runner aboard, Sniffen lined a two-out single that brought home the winning run. The Gaels celebrated near first base as UCLA players watched their season end in heartbreaking fashion.
The Bruins threatened several times late, including loading the bases in the ninth, but Saint Mary’s reliever Cam Staton repeatedly escaped danger. Staton worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits while striking out five to earn the victory.
The defeat closed one of the most successful seasons in UCLA baseball history. The Bruins matched a school record with 52 wins and spent the entire season atop the national rankings. Led by stars such as Cholowsky, Martin and a deep pitching staff, UCLA won every regular-season series and established itself as one of the premier programs in college baseball.
Yet in the unforgiving format of NCAA regional play, two losses were enough to end the journey.
“It’s a harsh ending,” Savage said. “But you can’t take away what they did. They left this place in a much better place than when they found it.”
