UCLA’s baseball squad arrived at the 2025 NCAA tournament as the clear favorite, boasting a 53‑8 record and an unblemished streak in series play that had become the hallmark of their dominance.
The Final Inning Turns the Tide
In the tenth frame, a clutch single by Makoa Sniffen drove in Cody Kashimoto with the decisive run, sealing a walk‑off victory for Saint Mary’s and extinguishing the Bruins’ perfect campaign.
Easton Hawk absorbed the loss on the mound, while Saint Mary’s reliever Cam Staton had earlier shut down UCLA’s offense with a string of scoreless innings, preserving the Gaels’ slim lead.
Earlier in the game, Dean West’s solo homer in the fifth had stretched UCLA’s advantage, but Jacob Johnson answered with a fourth‑inning blast that pulled the visitors back into contention.
The contest swung back and forth, with the Bruins lighting the scoreboard in the first two innings before the game slipped into extra innings after a ninth‑inning single tied the score.
When the dust settled, UCLA manager John Savage met Saint Mary’s counterpart Eric Valenzuela at home plate, exchanging a respectful handshake that underscored the mutual respect between the programs.