Ducks Denied Big Ten Crown in Extra-Inning Battle

Sunday, May 24

Omaha, Neb.

12:00 p.m.

University of Oregon

40-16

UCLA

51-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oregon	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	0
UCLA	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	3	8	0

05/24/26 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score: #1 UCLA 3, #14 Oregon 2 (11)

OMAHA, Neb. — No. 14 Oregon came up just short in the Big Ten Tournament championship game, falling to No. 1 UCLA, 3-2, in 11 innings Sunday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field.

Oregon (40-16) went toe-to-toe with the top-seeded Bruins in a tightly contested pitchers' duel and stood one out away from capturing the tournament title before UCLA (52-6) rallied to force extra innings and eventually secured a walk-off victory in the 11th.

Sunday's championship game lived up to expectations, featuring a back-and-forth pitchers' duel with three lead changes despite just five total runs scored. The Ducks and Bruins traded momentum throughout before UCLA delivered the decisive blow in extras. Facing their final out in the ninth inning, the Bruins rallied to extend the game before walking it off two innings later.

How It Happened:

Oregon starter Miles Gosztala and UCLA starter Angel Cervantes traded scoreless frames early before the Bruins broke through in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI triple by Will Gasparino.

Moments later, Gasparino was caught in a rundown after breaking for home on a ground ball. He was tagged out attempting to return to third base and was ejected for malicious contact after lowering his shoulder to third basemen Drew Smith while trying to get back to the bag.

UCLA turned to its bullpen after five innings, and Oregon's offense responded immediately in the sixth. Burke-Lee Mabeus tied the game with a leadoff solo home run to right-center before Naulivou Lauaki Jr. followed with a go-ahead homer of his own, giving the Ducks the lead with back-to-back home runs — a familiar storyline throughout the tournament.

Oregon called on its bullpen to begin the bottom of the sixth after another strong outing from Gosztala. The junior worked five innings, allowing one run on three hits with three walks while striking out four.

Collin Clarke inherited the lead and worked around a one-out triple to keep Oregon in front, needing just six pitches to record the next two outs. Clarke followed with a perfect seventh inning in relief. Tanner Bradley took over in the eighth and allowed the leadoff batter to reach via hit-by-pitch before recording a key strikeout and inducing an inning-ending double play.

With the save opportunity — and Oregon's first conference title since 2023 and first Big Ten title since joining the conference on the line against the nation's No. 1 team — Bradley walked lead-off man and tying run Payton Brennan to begin the ninth inning. Jarrod Hocking then moved the tying run into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but Bradley responded with a key strikeout to leave the Ducks one out away from capturing their first Big Ten Tournament title.

Down to their final out, UCLA responded again. Aiden Espinoza delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to tie the game and force extra innings.

Both teams recorded a hit in the 10th inning, but neither was able to generate significant pressure offensively.

Devin Bell returned for the 11th after entering in the 10th and allowed back-to-back hits to open the inning. Hocking advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt while reaching on a fielder's choice, loading the bases with no outs. Bell responded with back-to-back swinging strikeouts to keep Oregon alive, but UCLA's next batter was hit by a pitch, bringing home the winning run and securing the Bruins' first Big Ten Tournament title in program history. All three of UCLA's tournament wins came via walk-off.

Oregon managed just two hits over the final five innings following its two-run sixth inning. UCLA's bullpen held the Ducks scoreless during that stretch, combining for eight strikeouts across five innings of relief

All-Tournament Team:

P – Shane Brinham, Michigan

P – Cal Scolari, Oregon

P – Will Sanford, Oregon

C – Noah Miller, Michigan

1B – Mulivai Levu, UCLA

2B – Dylan Drake, Purdue

SS – Henry Kaczmar, Ohio State

3B – Drew Smith, Oregon

OF – Angel Laya, Oregon

OF – Will Gasparino, UCLA

OF – Mic Paul, Washington

DH – Naulivou Lauaki Jr., Oregon

Most Outstanding Player

Mulivai Levu, UCLA

Box Score Notes: Two Oregon home runs in sixth inning are third back-to-back HR's in tournament … Devin Bell suffered the loss, falls to 2-6 … Miles Gosztala lowers season ERA against UCLA to 2.61 with 13 K's through 10.1 IP

UP NEXT: Oregon awaits its regional opponents as the NCAA Tournament field is unveiled during ESPN's Selection Show on Monday at 9 a.m. PT.

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