It was nearly a nightmare NCAA regional for the UCLA Bruins, but UCLA escaped the jaws of defeat with a clutch ninth inning comeback to defeat Virginia Tech with a walk-off 6-5 win. Phoenix Call got his second walk-off of the past week, driving home Will Gasparino with an RBI single.
UCLA looked dead to rights, trailing 5-3 entering the bottom of the ninth and being just three outs away from becoming the first No. 1 overall seed to go 0-2 in a regional. The Bruins would have become the fifth-ever No. 1 seed to lose in the regional, something that happened last year when Vanderbilt was bounced in the regional.
The ninth inning began in emphatic fashion, with back-to-back bombs by Mulivai Levu and Roman Martin. Those two shots drew the game even at 5-5 but it brought much-needed life to the Bruins offense, with both Levu and Martin punishing baseballs out of the stadium.
UCLA kept pushing in the ninth inning, getting runners on the corners with just one out. Call ended things, slicing a basehit to left field that fell with ease, as Virginia Tech brought in an outfielder to form a five-man infield.
It was a game of home runs, with seven total home runs in the game. UCLA got a good start from Michael Barnett, who went 6+ innings of three run ball. The Bruins went with their trusted bullpen arms but didn’t get great results, with Zach Strickland and Easton Hawk each allowing a run in the eighth and ninth inning to build Virginia Tech’s lead.
UCLA’s past four wins have come via the walk-off, with Call and Levu each having two apiece. We’ll see if the lively ninth inning can awaken the quiet Bruin offense, which has been abnormally quiet to start off the postseason.
Next the Bruins will face the loser of Cal Poly-Saint Mary’s on Sunday, in another win-or-go-home game for UCLA. First pitch is set for 1:00pm PT at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: No. 1 UCLA avoids elimination with shocking ninth inning comeback
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
