LOS ANGELES — Payton Brennan might have predicted this. The senior outfielder knew UCLA baseball would enter the NCAA Los Angeles Regional with a contrasting status to last season.
As the hunted, not the hunter.
“It’s a different spot,” Brennan said at Thursday’s press conference. “Based on how we’re looked at, [the regional] could be harder this year.”
Rather than sneaking up on its opponents, UCLA, as the wire-to-wire No. 1-ranked baseball team and No. 1 overall seed team in the NCAA Tournament, has a target on its back. The Bruins have seen their foes’ best efforts all season.
That was no different Friday at Jackie Robinson Stadium, as Saint Mary’s took it to UCLA, handing the Bruins a 3-2 defeat for their first loss since April 14.
UCLA became the first No. 1 overall seed to lose its first game in the NCAA Tournament.
The result means UCLA (51-7, 28-2 Big Ten) will play an elimination game against the loser of Virginia Tech and Cal Poly at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Saint Mary’s designated hitter Jacob Johnson sealed that fate for UCLA. He hit two opposite-field solo home runs. The second put the Gaels (35-25, 15-12 WCC) ahead for good in the top of the ninth inning.
UCLA closer Easton Hawk earned the loss after conceding Johnson’s second home run.
Gaels relief pitcher Cam Staton earned the win after two scoreless innings, but starter John Damozonio put them in position to earn the victory.
Staton and Damozonio each forced UCLA star shortstop Roch Cholowsky into inning-ending flyouts when he represented the go-ahead run at the plate.
Damozonio kept UCLA scoreless for three innings, as did UCLA starter Wylan Moss with the Gaels.
But in the fourth inning, Saint Mary’s and UCLA traded solo home runs to start the scoring. Roman Martin answered Johnson with a deep shot to straightaway center field, tying the game at one.
The Bruins took their first lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Cholowsky’s sacrifice fly scored Trey Gudoy.
Moss pitched five strong innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs, but the final batter he faced came around to score and tie the game at two.
In the top of the sixth inning, Moss issued a walk to leadoff hitter Tanner Griffith. UCLA head coach John Savage called Landon Stump out of the bullpen. Stump conceded an RBI double to Makoa Sniffen.
After allowing one run in the fourth and fifth inning, Damozonio closed his outing on a strong note. He swiftly worked through the bottom of the Bruins’ order in the sixth inning, and Gaels head coach Eric Valenzuela kept him in the game for the seventh.
Damozonio hit Gudoy on the elbow to start the frame, but as his pitch count exceeded 100, Damozonio remained composed. Dean West replaced Gudoy on second after a fielder’s choice, leading to a showdown between Damozonio and Cholowsky.
After a long at-bat, Cholowsky weakly popped out to first base.
UCLA’s bullpen pitched cleanly across the middle innings. Landon Stump, Cal Randall and Zach Strickland combined to toss three scoreless frames.
Hawk took the ninth with the game tied. Johnson, the second batter of the frame, hit a long fly ball to right field that kept carrying and scratched the wall as Hocking attempted to rob it.
Staton relieved Damozonio in the bottom of the eighth inning, finding himself in a similar situation in both frames he tossed: two outs and the go-ahead run on base.
In the eighth, UCLA designated hitter Jarrod Hocking struck out on a pitch below the belt to end the inning. In the ninth inning, Cholowsky stared down Staton with the game on the line and a chance for UCLA’s fourth straight walk-off win.
The moment was worth the price of admission. Cholowsky got hold of one, but flied out to center field, concluding an 0-for-4 afternoon and ending the game.
More to come on this story.