UCLA Completes the Big Ten Double With Another Omaha Comeback

For a program that only officially joined the conference in August 2024, the Bruins wasted no time making history. UCLA not only claimed the Big Ten regular season title in its debut year, but also secured the conference tournament crown, completing the coveted Big Ten double in Omaha.

And fittingly for this tournament run, it did not come easy.

The Bruins once again found themselves trailing late, once again down to their final outs, and once again delivered in the biggest moments. UCLA finished the tournament a perfect 3-for-3 in ninth-inning comeback victories, cementing one of the most resilient postseason runs college baseball has seen this season.

Bruins Strike First

UCLA opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning after Payton Brennan came around to score on an RBI triple from Will Gasparino. The ball ripped into left field and gave the Bruins a 1-0 advantage as the UCLA dugout erupted behind first base.

For much of the afternoon, the game carried the tension expected from two of the nation’s top programs. Both pitching staffs traded punches early, with every baserunner and defensive play carrying postseason weight.

Oregon Responds With Back-to-Back Blasts

The Ducks finally broke through in the sixth inning, and they did it with power.

Bruke-Lee Mabeus launched a solo home run to right field to tie the game at one before Naulivou Lauaki Jr. followed moments later with another solo shot to left-center, suddenly giving Oregon a 2-1 lead.

The back-to-back home runs shifted momentum squarely toward the Ducks, who appeared on the verge of securing the tournament title behind strong pitching and timely offense.

But throughout this tournament, UCLA had repeatedly proven no lead against it was safe.

UCLA’s Ninth-Inning Magic Strikes Again

Down to its final out in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Bruins once again found the moment.

With Payton Brennan on base, Aidan Espinoza lined a clutch RBI single into right field to tie the game at 2-2 and send the Bruins’ side of Charles Schwab Field into chaos.

It marked UCLA’s third ninth-inning comeback victory of the tournament after already delivering walk-off wins in both the quarterfinals and semifinals, and their 28th comeback of the season. The Bruins continued to show the poise and confidence of a team that simply refused to believe it could lose.

Walk-Off Chaos in the 11th

After both teams traded scoreless frames in extra innings, UCLA finally delivered the decisive blow in the bottom of the 11th.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Phoenix Call stepped into the batter’s box with a chance to end it. Oregon pitcher Dylan Bell’s pitch struck Call, forcing home Roman Martin for the game-winning run and setting off another Bruins celebration near home plate.

The walk-off sealed a 3-2 victory and officially delivered UCLA its first Big Ten Tournament championship in program history.

At 51-6, the Bruins now head into the NCAA Tournament as the hottest team in the country.

A Tournament Defined by Resilience

What made UCLA’s championship run so remarkable was not just the talent on the roster, but the way the Bruins repeatedly responded under pressure.

They came from behind in the ninth inning in all three of their tournament victories, including Sunday’s championship game. Every time the Bruins appeared finished, they found another answer.

That resilience has become the defining trait of a UCLA team that continues to build one of the most memorable seasons in college baseball.

Now, the Bruins leave Omaha with both the regular season and tournament trophies and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

All-Tournament Team and Most Outstanding Player

UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu was named the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after delivering multiple clutch postseason moments throughout the week, including a walk-off home run in the semifinals and a walk-off sacrifice fly in the quarterfinals.

Most Outstanding Player

• Mulivai Levu, UCLA

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

NCAA Tournament

Twenty-nine teams secured automatic bids through their conference tournament championships, while the remaining 35 spots in the field of 64 will be unveiled during the 2026 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament Selection Show on Monday, May 25. Airing at 12 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT) on ESPN2, the selection show will reveal the complete NCAA Tournament bracket, including the 16 national seeds, at-large selections, and regional matchups as the road to Omaha officially begins.

The 16 Regional Host Sites have also been named: