UCLA baseball surges to beat Texas San Antonio in Game 1 of Super Regional
Just a week ago, the Roadrunners made a mockery of the Austin Regional — scoring 26 runs across three games — and took down No. 2 Texas twice on the Longhorns' home turf. Their greeting to the Bruins on Jackie Robinson Stadium on Saturday night was just as loud.
American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Mason Lytle sent Michael Barnett's second pitch of the game into no-doubt territory beyond Jackie Robinson Stadium's left-field wall for a home run. UTSA's dugout poured onto the field in response — earning an early warning from the umpires. A straight steal of home from Roadrunners left fielder Caden Miller in the second brought even more juice from the road support. Down 2-0, the Bruins were shell shocked, in need of a response.
The runs may not have been coming at the same pace, when UCLA scored a season-high 10 in the opening game of regionals, but the hits kept on rolling like they did a week ago. UCLA tallied 10 hits and six walks — scoring two runs in the third and one in the fourth — but stranded 13 on base, toeing the line of nail-biting baseball to win 5-2.
Leading 3-2 with two outs in the eighth, it wasn't until sophomore third baseman Roman Martin connected for a two-RBI triple that the Bruins could breathe. He waved his arms in celebration as Bruins fans behind the third-base dugout led an 'eight clap' for the first and only time Saturday.
UTSA still hit the ball all over the ballpark, as it did against Texas, but Barnett relied on his defense to limit the damage. He tossed six innings of two-run ball, giving up six hits, walking none and striking out one.
It was a clean, defensive clinic from the Bruins. Roch Cholowsky made a slick play in the seventh, fielding a hard ground ball to his left and throwing to first off-balance from behind second to help reliever Jack O'Connor toss a scoreless inning. Catcher Cashel Dugger handled dropped-third strikes from righty August Souza to make it smooth sailing in the eighth.
Bruins first baseman Mulivai Levu doubled down the line to score Dean West for the Bruins' first run. Cholowsky then managed to score on a ground out to third by Martin, tying the score 2-2.
An inning later, West drove in a run on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly after three UCLA singles to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead.
Freshman right-hander Easton Hawk, who recently had been pegged as UCLA's closer, hurled a shutdown ninth inning to earn the save. As the Bruins celebrated on the field, it signaled a truth heading into Sunday afternoon — UCLA is one win away from Omaha and the College World Series.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
People Are Betting on Little League, Threatening 'Sanctity' of Youth Sports
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Protecting players should be a top concern for the Little League World Series amid the proliferation of gambling overseas, which represents the "erosion of the sanctity in youth sports," critics told Newsweek. Shawn French, host of The Determined Society podcast and a former catcher at Louisiana State University, denounced the rise of sites like BetOnline and Bovada as detrimental to young athletes, potentially creating a nightmare scenario. "Now we know that betting on youth sports, especially 10- to 12-year-olds, is against the law here," French told Newsweek. "But it doesn't necessarily keep the risk away regarding these overseas betting sites. The thing that really scares me is it proposes this massive ethical risk for these minors." Shawn French, founder/host of The Determined Society podcast and a former catcher at Louisiana State University. Shawn French, founder/host of The Determined Society podcast and a former catcher at Louisiana State University. Courtesy of Shawn French French warned of potential safety risks and threats to players and their parents due to wagers linked to Little League World Series (LLWS) matchups. "These people get very fanatical about their bets and how much money they lose," he said. "What's to say these families aren't going to get death threats if their 11-year-old kid doesn't play well? That is scary to me. It should be scary to the parents, it should be scary for the kids and it should be scary for the society we live in that these children are now being subject to people who may be more worried about their betting streak than the safety and sanctity of these children." French, who previously played in the College World Series and now coaches his 11-year-old son's team, said he was dismayed by LLWS gambling and the potential impact on young athletes. "It's a wild thing," he told Newsweek. "This is just an erosion of the sanctity in youth sports. It is scary." Little League officials, meanwhile, publicly condemned gambling on youth sports in a statement last week. "While Little League International continues to monitor the complexity and ever-evolving world of sports betting, we feel strongly that there is no place for betting on Little League games or on any other youth sports competition," Little League International announced on August 14. Little League players learn the "fundamentals of the games" and vital life lessons, including teamwork and integrity, while on the diamond, organizers said. "And no one should be exploiting the successes and failures of children playing the game they love for their own personal gain," the statement concluded. Some Little League managers are also angered that gamblers can wager on games involving boys as young as 10. "I'm not a fan," South Carolina manager Dave Bogan told the Associated Press. "It's just not appropriate, it feels dirty, quite honestly." Jimmy Taxiltaridis, of Fairfield, Connecticut, tags out Cutter Ricafort of Las Vegas at home plate during a Little League World Series game on August 20, 2025. Jimmy Taxiltaridis, of Fairfield, Connecticut, tags out Cutter Ricafort of Las Vegas at home plate during a Little League World Series game on August 20, 2025. AP Photo/Jared Freed Hawaii's manager, Gerald Oda, said placing a bet on young boys robs the "beauty" of Little League. "This is the only tournament where you're representing your local community," Oda told the AP. "It's that innocence, that pureness that these kids show on the field." The 12-year-old boys on Oda's team should cherish the memories from this summer more so than wins or losses, he added. "Gambling is here to stay, but I am thankful that Little League is very protective of what they have, and they should be." Oda continued. "You know that pure joy and emotion whether you win or you lose, that's the greatest thing." An Outsider's Perspective George Daniel, former commissioner of the National Lacrosse League, also called on LLWS officials to be more aggressive regarding ongoing efforts to protect young athletes as gambling thrives overseas. "Professional athletes face backlash from angry bettors in social media," Daniel told Newsweek. "For a young person to deal with that would be unbearable. Little League World Series needs to be proactive in limiting their data rights and being diligent in prohibiting gambling on their events." South Carolina's Preston Ware celebrates as he scores the winning run against South Dakota at the Little League World Series on August 20 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. South Carolina's Preston Ware celebrates as he scores the winning run against South Dakota at the Little League World Series on August 20 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. AP Photo/Jared Freed Daniel said he'd work to further highlight the collective sheer love of baseball if he oversaw the roughly two million boys and girls who play Little League worldwide. "Balancing the commercial aspects with sportsmanship of a youth sports property is always challenging," Daniel told Newsweek. "I would try to emphasize the joy of playing rather than the competitive aspects, but that's not easy to do when you are talking about an internationally televised event." Fond Memories Sixty-five percent of U.S. adults surveyed in 2022 said they played competitive or recreational youth sports — with basketball (24 percent) and baseball (23 percent) ranking as the most popular, according to the YouGov poll. Among former baseball players, 45 percent of Americans said they had "very positive" experiences, compared to just 2 percent who had "very negative" recollections from the diamond. More than 60 boys who played in the Little League World Series later went onto the majors, including Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson. In 1981, he starred as a catcher on a team from Barrington, Illinois, that lost in the final and ultimately finished third. Read more Push to move back mound as Little League pitchers hurl 80 mph fastballs Push to move back mound as Little League pitchers hurl 80 mph fastballs "I think at some point even when you lose that game and your hopes have sort of been dashed, that's when it starts to sink in that you played for the U.S. championship," Wilson told the Seattle Times on Saturday. "Even at 12, that means quite a bit." Despite the devastating 11-10 loss to a squad out of Tampa, Florida, Wilson fondly recalled the indelible experience he had decades earlier. "Just kind of a storybook kind of a scenario from beginning to end," Wilson told the newspaper. "But as a 12-year-old just realizing how much fun the game was, what a good team around you was all about and the whole experience of Williamsport was just so fun." Wilson, 56, returned to Pennsylvania on Sunday as the Seattle Mariners played the New York Mets in the MLB Little League Classic game. He also threw out the first pitch before a Little League World Series matchup between Panama and Mexico. "I'll probably feel 12 years old all over again," Wilson said prior to the trip. "I think in some ways I'm realistic in believing that it probably looks completely different than how I remembered it at 12. It's probably a lot smaller than I thought it was. But just kind of being able to see the Little Leaguers there and seeing that experience again through their eyes will bring back a lot more."
NBC Sports
4 hours ago
- NBC Sports
New-look UCLA aims for turnaround with transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava
LOS ANGELES — DeShaun Foster got busy overhauling most of his coaching staff after his first season at UCLA. He upgraded the roster, making a splash in the transfer portal by landing quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Iamaleava left Tennessee before the spring game to return home to Los Angeles, where he'll try to take the Bruins to heights they haven't been in years. UCLA was 5-7 overall and 3-6 in its debut season in the Big Ten Conference under Foster. The Bruins' last double-digit win season was in 2014 and they've made just three bowl appearances since 2017, losing twice. Iamaleava is among 55 new players in Westwood, along with eight new assistants. He didn't participate in spring camp, so how quickly the Bruins come together will be something to watch. 'I love how humble he is,' Foster said. 'He's open to learning anything and he hasn't big-timed anybody in our program. He's always in there acting like one of the regular guys, like he's been here the whole time.' Nico and Tino Tino Sunseri replaces offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who was fired after one season. Sunseri helped Indiana average 41.3 points — second-best in the nation — and reach the College Football Playoff last year. Sunseri, 36, played quarterback at Pitt and went on to the Canadian Football League before starting his coaching career with stops including Florida State and Alabama. 'I just love Tino's energy,' Foster said. 'He's played quarterback at a high level and he just holds them accountable.' Sunseri and Iamaleava hit it off early on. 'The thing about Nico is he's a self-driven person. He has a certain standard of how he wants to operate each day,' Sunseri said. 'There's not one day that he hasn't come in here that he's not focused on being able to become the best player he can be for UCLA.' Sunseri is working with a retooled offensive line that includes Kentucky transfer Courtland Ford and Florida State transfer Julian Armella. Iamaleava's younger brother, Madden, is a quarterback, too. He originally committed to the Bruins and then bailed on signing day to join Arkansas. He spent half the spring with the Razorbacks before also coming home. Defense Over half the projected starting lineup on defense is made up of transfers, including linebackers Isaiah Chisom from Oregon State and Ben Perry from Louisville. The Bruins ranked 39th in the country with 340.8 yards per game allowed last season. The lone returning starter is defensive tackle Siale Taupaki, who made seven starts. 'With this much turnover, we have to find ways to get this team to jell,' Foster said. 'You're going to see growth in my team.' The schedule The Bruins open with former Pac-12 Conference rival Utah on Aug. 30 at the Rose Bowl, followed by a trip to UNLV in Allegiant Stadium and a home game against New Mexico on Sept. 13. The schedule gets tough with a visit by national title contender No. 2 Penn State on Oct. 4 and road games at No. 20 Indiana on Oct. 25 and No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 15. The Bruins close the regular season with a visit to crosstown rival USC on Nov. 29.
New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
NHL risers and fallers: Your picks. Plus: The Moldovan Mountain
Red Light newsletter 🏒 | This is The Athletic's hockey newsletter. Sign up here to receive Red Light directly in your inbox. Good morning, folks. The pace is definitely picking up in the hockey world, as we have piles of good reads today. First, let's get into your survey responses from last week … We're overdue for a shift among the league's best and worst teams. Over the past five years, the nine clubs with the best records have largely remained unchanged, with only the Bruins falling out of that group — with a thud — last season. Meanwhile, among the NHL's worst 10 teams over that span, only the upstart Canadiens have pulled out of the basement and into firm 'playoff team' territory. Advertisement So what are we going to get this season? More of the same – i.e., Dallas versus Edmonton and Colorado in the West playoffs, and Florida taking out Carolina, Tampa and Toronto in the East? Or something new? In last week's newsletter, we put out the call for your thoughts on who the NHL's biggest risers and fallers will be this season. Nearly 700 of you responded, providing us with an interesting crowd-sourced list of, potentially, what's to come. These were your picks: Which team in the East will be the most improved? Other than the Habs, who took a nice 15-point leap forward last year, there wasn't much consensus on this question, possibly because it feels like the playoff teams in the East are firmly entrenched. Montreal and Columbus make sense given their youth movements and strong seasons last year — the Canadiens finished just seven points behind the Panthers — while the Rangers crashed out to 85 points last year and have Igor Shesterkin, Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox to presumably keep them competitive. But I'd put my money on the Devils, who should be able to put up more than 91 points with better health from Jack Hughes and company. If anyone in the East is jumping up 10-plus points, it's them. Which team in the East will take the biggest step back? The Capitals surprised most of the hockey world by winning the East and piling up 111 points before a disappointing showing in the playoffs in Round 2, so I'm not surprised they received the most votes here. And many are down on the Leafs after they lost Mitch Marner and failed to find another top-line winger to replace him. We'll see if their by-committee approach — or an in-season addition — can get them close to last season's 108 points. Boston, meanwhile, totally bottomed out already last year and will likely be at least slightly more respectable just due to better health alone. The Penguins could definitely be in the running for far more pain, though, if they continue their selloff and end up in the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes. Advertisement Which team in the West will be the most improved? I don't have any quibbles here. It makes sense that all five of these teams will improve their point totals given offseason additions, internal improvements or just how rotten they were last year. Or, in some cases, all three. The Ducks will be very interesting to watch as some of their young players started to put together strong performances late in the year. (Keep an eye on 20-year-old Leo Carlsson, in particular.) They also added an experienced coach in Joel Quenneville and some veteran depth up front that should allow them to finish higher than 30th in goals per game this season. Of these five, however, I'd peg the Mammoth with the best chances of breaking a playoff drought. Which team in the West will take the biggest step back? The Kings' offseason is not getting rave reviews, either in L.A. or around the league. They quietly put up the NHL's sixth-best record last season with stout defensive play and surprisingly good goaltending, both of which could fall off this year. And Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar are not getting any younger. The Jets, meanwhile, lost Nikolaj Ehlers after basically everything went right last season, so a dip is probably coming there, too, barring another heroic effort from Connor Hellebuyck. Things will be mighty interesting in the West, however, if the Oilers and Stars skeptics are right. Overall, looking at these results, it doesn't feel like there's going to be a huge sea change in the NHL standings this season. But this league always seems to find a way to throw us a few surprises every year. If you're a Panthers fan, the answer is a resounding yes. But not every fan base is feeling as jubilant as those folks, as evidenced by this interesting breakdown from Dom Luszczyszyn. There were some surprises in this year's front-office confidence rankings, for sure, especially when you get into how the wider public views front offices versus fans of certain teams (i.e., Pittsburgh). Advertisement After Florida, the rest of the top five was rounded out by Dallas, Carolina, Tampa Bay and Montreal. The bottom five were made up of poor ol' Buffalo in 32nd, followed by Nashville, Boston, Seattle and the Rangers. But check out the full article (all links in this newsletter are free to read!) to see where every team slots in and how front offices were scored in six key categories: roster building, cap management, drafting and development, trading, free agency and vision. Alex Ovechkin enters this season just three goals from 900, so he wins the prize for the most exciting milestone mark. But there are three other big names on the cusp of goal-scoring greatness: One veteran in the Central Division should hit 600 goals in 2025-26, and two others in the Atlantic are almost at 500. And all of them have something in common with Ovechkin. Who are they? And what's their commonality? Even in the offseason, our army of hockey writers is cranking out the hits. Here are some of our top items from the past seven days that you may have missed. 🏒 What should the Rangers do about Panarin needing a contract extension? He's on the verge of turning 34 and in the final year of his deal. Peter Baugh examines yet another tricky situation for New York. 💸 The Hoffmann family has emerged as a bidder for the Penguins. Rob Rossi digs into who they are and what it could mean for Pittsburgh. 🥊 Everyone has an opinion on where the NHL most needs to improve. Some of our staff got together in a room to fight about what they'd like to see changed, with entertaining results. 🤔 'The Athletic Hockey Show' Prospect Series with Max Bultman, Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler recaps this summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, a gold medal win for Team USA and a disappointing performance for Canada. Plus, Gavin McKenna. 🥇 Speaking of McKenna, he tops our latest 2026 NHL Draft ranking. Check out the rest of the top 32 for a taste of what's likely to be a strong group of young stars. If you haven't heard of Alexander Karmanov yet, you soon will. The 17-year-old defenseman from tiny Moldova is an incredible 7 feet tall and weighs 277 pounds and has been drafted by junior teams in the OHL and USHL and committed to Penn State in the NCAA. I really enjoyed chatting with Karmanov and his family last week for today's story. He's got a good head on his (massive) shoulders and is a positive hockey story worth rooting for as he begins camp with the OHL Brantford Bulldogs this weekend. Good luck to the trainers trying to find gear to fit this kid, though. Steven Stamkos of the Predators is only 18 goals shy of becoming the 22nd player in NHL history to net 600. John Tavares of the Leafs is six back from 500, and Patrick Kane with the Red Wings is eight away from becoming just the fifth American to get there. Including Ovechkin, all four were top draft picks (in 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009). It pays to pick No. 1. Love Red Light? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters. (Top photo of Jack Hughes: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
