Twelve years ago, John Savage was the man in Westwood.
Fresh off the Bruins’ first College World Series title in 2013, then-UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero rewarded the coach with a lucrative 12-year contract extension.
It’s been a grueling journey since.
UCLA has tallied numerous No. 1 national rankings, seven NCAA tournament berths, four first-round draft picks and one super regional appearance since then, but not a single return to Omaha. The last two years of Bruins baseball were poor by the program’s standards — missing the postseason in back-to-back years and ending 2024 with a losing record for the first time since 2016.
UCLA pitcher Wylan Moss celebrates after an out against UC Irvine on Sunday night.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Something had to give in 2025, the final year of Savage’s contract, as UCLA tried to build upon a sophomore class that has helped transform it into one of the best offenses in the nation.
UCLA entered the NCAA tournament with reason to be optimistic. With star players such as Roch Cholowsky on the roster, perhaps a return to the College World Series wasn’t out of the question.
On Sunday, the Omaha oracle pointed UCLA’s way, the Bruins inching one step closer to advancing to the College World Series. Bullying second-seeded UC Irvine with its bats like it had against every team in the Los Angeles Regional, first-seeded UCLA won 8-5 to advance to the NCAA super regionals for the first time since 2019. UCLA will host the Los Angeles Super Regional against Texas San Antonio at Jackie Robinson Stadium this week.
“I’m very proud of our team, very proud of our guys winning 19 games last season and coming back,” Savage said. “It’s just a team — and they’re playing together. … Proud of our program, proud of my coaches.”
UTSA defeated Texas 7-4 in the Austin Regional final, taking down the national second-seed Longhorns to advance to its first-ever super regional.
If UCLA beats UTSA, it’ll advance to the College World Series in Omaha for the first time since 2013.
UCLA pitcher Easton Hawk delivers against UC Irvine on Sunday.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
UCLA’s offense was just as ready to explode — like they did versus Fresno State and Arizona State — against a depleted UC Irvine pitching staff (with high-leverage bullpen arms Ricky Ojeda and David Utagawa unavailable after pitching earlier Sunday). Rallying for six hits across the first two innings, the Bruins put together three runs thanks to RBI singles from Roman Martin and Cashel Dugger, and a sacrifice fly from Roch Cholowsky.
UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu helped place the game in blowout territory — an 8-0 lead — when he connected for a three-run home run in a five-run fourth inning. Much like UCLA had done all weekend, the lineup kept on churning.
Levu led all Bruins with three RBIs, while Cholowsky went one for three with two RBIs from sacrifice flies.
“Everyone has a great approach at the plate,” Levu said. “It’s kind of hard for the other team to get past us.”
Freshman Wylan Moss set the tone for UCLA’s combined pitching effort. Moss, who entered the contest with a 2.25 earned-run average and an All-Big-Ten Freshman Team recognition, was as good as advertised to stymie UC Irvine, which came off an 11-run offensive showing earlier in the day.
The 6-foot-3 righty struck out the top of the Anteaters lineup — Will Bermudez, Chase Call and Jacob McCombs — swinging on change ups. Moss, who had yet to pitch in the NCAA Tournament, was lying in wait for a game of magnitude.
He pitched 3 ⅓ innings, giving up two runs and two hits, while walking three and striking out four. From there, a five-pitcher bullpen effort kept Irvine at bay, pitching 5 ⅔ innings of five-run ball the rest of the way to wrap up regional action in Westwood.
UCLA players and coaches celebrate after their Los Angeles Regional victory over UC Irvine on Sunday.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Things got more complicated for UCLA in the sixth, when freshman right-hander Cal Randall gave up a solo home run to UC Irvine designated hitter Alonso Reyes to make it a three-run game, but right-hander Jack O’Connor entered to extinguish the threat — and set down UC Irvine outfielder Chase Call on a fielder’s choice to close out the inning.
It wasn’t easy sailing for the Bruins in the late innings.
Graduate student right-hander August Souza bailed UCLA out of a bases-loaded jam by freezing the potential go-ahead run, Blake Penso, on a full-count, 87-mph fastball in the seventh.
When the Bruins needed it the most, Souza struck out two in a scoreless eighth, putting metaphorical champagne on ice in Westwood.
“Just honestly blessed to play this year,” said Souza, who didn’t pitch in 2024 because of injury. “It’s my sixth year. Didn’t think I’d play in college this long, and just happy to get this win with my team and celebrate getting to a super regional.”
Freshman right-hander Easton Hawk tossed a perfect ninth, striking out James Castagnola to end it, prompting the Bruins to run onto the field in celebration. UCLA owned the Los Angeles Regional title.
“I liked everything today,” said UC Irvine coach Ben Orloff, who praised Savage as one of the best coaches in the nation. “Besides the third out.”
What makes the 2025 Bruins different from other UCLA teams? Savage said leadership and teamsmanship could make the Bruins national title contenders.
Cholowsky, with pitchers Cody Delvecchio and Michael Barnett, helped transform the team’s culture as team captains, Savage said. They accomplished this despite having to endure the legal saga that temporarily forced the Bruins out of Jackie Robinson Stadium in the fall.
Now, postseason baseball will remain in Westwood for at least one more weekend.
Highlights from UCLA’s 8-5 win over UC Irvine in the Los Angeles Regional on Sunday.
“We got knocked out of the stadium the first day of school,” Savage said. “It was unfortunate, but they came together, man, and they did a remarkable job of just building this team. I gotta tip my hat to the players. The players did a remarkable job.”
But it’s not time to celebrate just yet. If UCLA wants to go to the College World Series, Savage said, the focus needs to shift to beating UTSA.
“Like I told them, ‘there’s nothing to really celebrate,’” Savage said. “You can enjoy this, but at the same time, we got to get back to work on Tuesday.”