GAME RECAP: Johnson, The Gaels Take Down #1 UCLA In Game 1 Of The L.A. Regionals

By Justin Tatsuki Lee

WESTWOOD, CA- NCAA Baseball kick off for the long haul into the summer season and to start in Southern California in the Los Angeles Regionals at UCLA. Saint Mary’s University flew in to take on the best overall team in the country, the Bruins. Game 1 of the L.A. Regionals started with a cage fight between Wylan Moss and John Damozonio to start the day. SMU is 26-20 all-time against UCLA despite the Bruins having the upper hand in the last three matchups during their last series back in February of 2020. The Gaels enter with house money as the back to back West Coast Conference champs after beating San Francisco University in the WCC Tournament. UCLA enters with all the confidence in the world with their team captain Roch Cholowsky holding high hopes of a deep run on the road to Omaha. 

First Inning — A Quiet Start as Both Sides Feel Each Other Out

Saint Mary’s opened the game with possession of momentum on paper but little on the field. Griffith struck out swinging, Castellanos managed a single through the right side, and Sniffen flew out to right before Armstrong grounded out to third — leaving the Gaels with nothing to show for it.

UCLA’s response was equally muted. West worked a walk, but Levu hit into a fielder’s choice that erased him, Cholowsky struck out swinging, and Martin popped up to third. After one, the scoreboard read as empty as both lineups felt.

Saint Mary’s 0, UCLA 0 (End 1st)

Second Inning — Stranded Opportunities

The Gaels threatened again in the second. Johnson doubled to right-center — a sharp gap shot — but was ultimately left stranded as Josephson struck out swinging, Mettam flied out to right, and Allred grounded to third.

UCLA answered with three up, three down of their own. Brennan flied out, Dugger struck out looking, and Hocking whiffed swinging. Neither bullpen was threatened. The pitching duel was firmly on.

Saint Mary’s 0, UCLA 0 (End 2nd)

Third Inning — More of the Same

Saint Mary’s went quietly in the third — Kashimoto grounded to second, Griffith flied to left, and Castellanos grounded out again. The Bruins had their best look of the early going when West singled to third on a bunt, but Call and Gudoy both grounded out to kill the threat.

Saint Mary’s 0, UCLA 0 (End 3rd)

Fourth Inning — Johnson Strikes First, Martin Answers

The ice broke in the fourth — and it broke twice.

Saint Mary’s got on the board first. Jacob Johnson, who had doubled in the second, left no doubt this time — driving a 3-1 fastball over the right field wall for a solo home run, giving the Gaels a 1-0 edge.

Saint Mary’s 1, UCLA 0

UCLA didn’t flinch. Martin stepped in and matched Johnson’s moment shot for shot — launching a home run of his own to center field to knot things up immediately. Brennan had singled on a bunt to set things in motion, and Martin delivered the equalizer.

Saint Mary’s 1, UCLA 1 (End 4th)

Fifth Inning — Bruins Grab Their First Lead

UCLA made its move in the fifth. Gudoy led off with a double to center, advanced to third on a perfectly executed bunt from Call, and came home when Cholowsky lined out to left — a sacrifice that plated the go-ahead run without even needing a hit. West drew a walk to extend the threat, but the damage was done.

The Gaels went down in order — Kashimoto struck out swinging, Allred struck out swinging, and Mettam grounded to second. Saint Mary’s wasn’t getting anything going against UCLA’s pitching.

UCLA 2, Saint Mary’s 1 (End 5th)

Sixth Inning — Saint Mary’s Battles Back, Ties It Up

Saint Mary’s showed resilience in the sixth. Griffith worked a walk to get things started, and Sniffen delivered the key blow — a double down the right field line that scored Griffith and knotted the game at two. Johnson and Armstrong both failed to keep the pressure on, but the damage was done.

UCLA went to the mound for a change — Stump coming in for Moss — and the Bruins went down quietly in return. Martin and Mysza both struck out swinging, and Dugger singled but was left stranded.

Saint Mary’s 2, UCLA 2 (End 6th)

Seventh Inning — Scoreless, Tense

With the game tied and the tension climbing, both sides buckled down. The Gaels’ best look came when Allred singled to right, but Josephson struck out looking and Kashimoto was retired to end the threat.

UCLA pieced together some activity — Gudoy was hit by pitch, Call dropped a sacrifice bunt to move him to second, but West hit into a fielder’s choice that erased Gudoy, and Cholowsky fouled out to first. Neither team could break through.

Saint Mary’s 2, UCLA 2 (End 7th)

Eighth Inning — Bruins Strand Another, Gaels Come Up Empty

UCLA again came close and again left runners behind. Levu reached on a fielding error, Martin flied out to left, and after Cadiz pinch hit and flied out to right, Dugger walked — but Hocking struck out swinging to end the threat with two on. A golden opportunity squandered.

Saint Mary’s couldn’t capitalize on the moment, either. Griffith flied out to center, Castellanos grounded back to the pitcher, and Sniffen struck out swinging. Stanton came in to pitch for Saint Mary’s — but both sides headed to the ninth with the score still knotted.

Saint Mary’s 2, UCLA 2 (End 8th)

Ninth Inning — Johnson Breaks It Open, UCLA Falls Short

Saint Mary’s seized the moment in the ninth. Armstrong and Mettam both reached — Armstrong drawing a walk — and Johnson came to the plate with the game on the line. He delivered, crushing his second home run of the night..

Saint Mary’s 3, UCLA 2

UCLA had one last chance. Call singled through the left side with one out to give the home crowd a flicker of hope, but Cholowsky flew out to center and West and Gudoy both struck out to end it. The comeback never came.

Final: Saint Mary’s 3, UCLA 2

In a stunning upset to open NCAA Regional play, Saint Mary’s handed No. 1 overall seed UCLA its first loss of the postseason, handing the Bruins a double-elimination wake-up call at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Jacob Johnson was the story — going deep twice, including a decisive three-run blast in the ninth — as the Gaels silenced a UCLA lineup already playing shorthanded without suspended slugger Will Gasparino. 

Top Performers:

Saint Mary’s: Jacob Johnson — 2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI

UCLA: Roman Martin — 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI; Cashel Dugger — 1-for-2, 1 BB