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Saint Mary’s College of California produced one of the defining results of the 2026 NCAA baseball tournament on Sunday, May 31, beating No. 1 overall seed UCLA 6-5 in 10 innings at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. For the Gaels, the win was not just another upset. It sent Saint Mary’s College of California to the first NCAA regional final in program history and completed an extraordinary two-win sequence over the tournament’s top overall seed in the same regional.
That alone would have made the result memorable. But the historical angle made it even bigger. By defeating UCLA again after a 3-2 opening-round upset on Friday, Saint Mary’s became the first No. 4 seed ever to single-handedly eliminate the No. 1 overall seed from the NCAA baseball tournament. For a program from Moraga that entered the weekend as a clear underdog, this was the kind of breakthrough that changes how a season, and sometimes a program, is remembered.
The Gaels did not secure a super regional berth, later falling 5-2 to Cal Poly in the regional final. Even so, Saint Mary’s College of California left Los Angeles with a landmark postseason run, two wins over UCLA, and one of the most surprising stories of the regional round.
The Sunday elimination game had the shape of a heavyweight NCAA tournament battle almost immediately, even if the seed lines suggested otherwise. UCLA struck first in the opening inning when Roman Martin delivered an RBI single. The Bruins added two more runs in the second on a Trey Gudoy RBI double and a Dean West groundout, building a 3-0 lead and putting early pressure on Saint Mary’s.
For many lower-seeded teams, that kind of start on the road against the No. 1 overall seed can be enough to break momentum. Instead, the Gaels answered almost right away. Tanner Griffith singled home Nick Allred in the second inning to put Saint Mary’s on the board. In the third, Ian Armstrong launched a solo home run to center field, trimming the deficit to 3-2 and signaling that the Gaels were not going away.
UCLA appeared to regain control in the fifth inning. Dean West homered to right, and another run scored later in the frame after a hit batter with the bases loaded. At 5-2, the Bruins looked positioned to do what top seeds usually do in their own regional: absorb a scare, settle in, and advance.
Saint Mary’s had other plans.
Jacob Johnson answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 5-3. In the sixth, Diego Castellanos singled home Cody Kashimoto, cutting the margin to 5-4. The Gaels kept finding ways to respond, and just as importantly, they kept the game close enough for one big swing or one key at-bat to change everything.
One reason the comeback remained possible was the work of Saint Mary’s pitchers Sam Kretsch, Cam Staton, and David Roberts. The Gaels did not dominate UCLA on the mound, but they did exactly what postseason teams need in a high-pressure regional game: they pieced innings together, limited additional damage, and gave their lineup time.
That kind of pitching management often gets overlooked when a walk-off finish grabs the headlines. But against a lineup as dangerous as UCLA’s, simply keeping the score within one run over the late innings was essential. Saint Mary’s offense had already proven it could put pressure on the Bruins. The staff’s job was to hold the game in place long enough for another opening to appear.
Roberts, in particular, played a pivotal role late. After Saint Mary’s tied the game, he retired UCLA in order in the top of the 10th, creating the cleanest possible runway for a walk-off chance in the bottom half. In a tournament setting, where momentum can swing violently inning to inning, that shutdown frame was enormous.
When UCLA carried a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth, the situation looked familiar and favorable for the Bruins. According to NCAA.com, UCLA entered the game with 78 straight wins when leading after eight innings. That statistic underscored just how difficult the task was for Saint Mary’s.
Yet the Gaels broke that pattern at the biggest possible moment. With the season nearly over, Armstrong came through again, delivering a game-tying RBI single that scored Griffith and forced extra innings. It was not just a clutch hit. It was the play that pushed the upset from possible to real.
From a recruiting and program-building perspective, moments like that matter beyond a box score. Teams that believe they belong in high-leverage situations usually show it in their approach. Saint Mary’s never looked overwhelmed by the moment, even against the top overall seed, in a road setting, with elimination pressure mounting.
After Roberts’ clean top of the 10th, Saint Mary’s had its opportunity. Kashimoto started the rally with a one-out infield single. Griffith’s groundout moved him to second. UCLA then intentionally walked Castellanos, a tactical decision designed to create a force and set up the next matchup.
That brought Makoa Sniffen to the plate.
On a 1-1 pitch, Sniffen shot a single through the left side. Kashimoto raced home with the winning run. The dugout emptied, the Gaels erupted, and one of the most memorable wins in program history was complete. Roberts earned the victory, but Sniffen’s hit instantly joined the short list of the most significant postseason moments Saint Mary’s baseball has produced.
The final line told part of the story. Saint Mary’s finished with 15 hits, a number that reflected not just one big inning but a full-game offensive effort. Against the No. 1 overall seed, the Gaels created pressure repeatedly, kept forcing UCLA to respond, and stayed within striking distance until the breakthrough arrived.
The Sunday win mattered on its own, but its full significance came from what happened two days earlier. On Friday, Saint Mary’s opened regional play by stunning UCLA 3-2. According to the school’s report on the game, it was the first win over a top-ranked team in program history and the first time since the 1999 expansion of the regional format that a No. 1 national seed lost its opening game.
In that first upset, John Damozonio gave the Gaels seven strong innings, Jacob Johnson hit two home runs, and Cam Staton recorded the final six outs. At the time, that win looked like a major shock. By Sunday night, it looked like the start of something historic.
Taking down the No. 1 overall seed once is a headline. Doing it twice in the same regional is something else entirely. Saint Mary’s did not merely catch UCLA on an off day. The Gaels beat the Bruins in the opener, then eliminated them in a 10-inning thriller. That distinction is why this result will remain part of NCAA tournament conversation well beyond one weekend.
For fans trying to place the accomplishment in context, it is worth emphasizing the seed dynamic. No. 4 seeds are expected to face steep odds in regionals, especially against hosts and especially against the nation’s top overall team. Saint Mary’s reversed that logic completely. The Gaels became the story everyone else had to react to.
The other milestone attached to the win was just as important for the Moraga program itself. By beating UCLA on Sunday, Saint Mary’s advanced to the first NCAA regional final in school history. That is a major benchmark for any Division I baseball program and an especially meaningful one for a team that had entered the weekend without the national spotlight usually surrounding a host or a power conference contender.
Programs build credibility in layers. Regular-season success matters. Conference performance matters. But postseason wins, especially against elite opponents, can accelerate the profile of a team faster than anything else. For Saint Mary’s, reaching a regional final established a new reference point for what the program can accomplish.
That matters to current players, future recruits, coaches, alumni, and families evaluating college baseball opportunities. Anyone exploring the Gaels as a baseball destination can now point to a postseason run that included multiple wins over the No. 1 overall seed and a place in the regional final. For athletes researching schools, the Saint Mary’s College of California profile offers a starting point for understanding the school beyond one tournament weekend.
Saint Mary’s later lost 5-2 to Cal Poly in the regional final, ending the run before a super regional berth could be secured. That result mattered competitively, of course. The Gaels were one step away from extending their season even further.
But the loss does not erase what happened before it. In many ways, the weekend’s lasting image will not be the final defeat. It will be the two UCLA upsets, the comeback in the ninth inning, and Sniffen’s walk-off single in the 10th. Those moments are the reason this regional will remain one of the most memorable stretches in program history.
In college baseball, postseason success is often defined by advancement, but memory works a little differently. The teams and games people remember are often the ones that deliver the biggest surprise, the best drama, or the clearest statement of identity. Saint Mary’s checked all three boxes.
Results like this also carry real recruiting relevance. For players and families, tournament runs can reveal things that records alone do not. They show whether a program can compete under pressure, whether it can adjust over multiple games, and whether its roster can perform against national-caliber competition.
Saint Mary’s showed all of that in Los Angeles. The Gaels displayed resilience after early deficits, offensive depth across the lineup, enough pitching composure to survive dangerous innings, and belief in late-game situations. Those are attractive traits for prospects looking for a program where development and competitiveness can coexist.
For coaches outside the program, this kind of run is also a reminder that postseason baseball often rewards connected, disciplined teams, not just the most nationally hyped rosters. Saint Mary’s did not need to control every inning to win. The Gaels needed timely swings, enough mound stability, and the confidence to stay present when UCLA had chances to close the door.
Families trying to evaluate baseball options can use tools like the Baseball Pathley Hub to compare programs, explore fit, and understand how different schools align with athletic and academic goals. A result like this one is exciting, but it is also useful as a case study in the type of opportunity some mid-major and non-host programs can offer.
Armstrong’s impact on Sunday was central to the comeback. He hit a solo home run in the third inning to bring Saint Mary’s within one run early, then delivered the game-tying RBI single in the ninth with the season on the line. It is hard to imagine a more important two-hit contribution in a postseason elimination game.
Johnson had already played a starring role in Friday’s 3-2 upset by hitting two home runs. On Sunday, he again supplied power with a solo shot in the fifth inning that kept Saint Mary’s within reach at 5-3. Across both wins over UCLA, his bat was one of the major difference-makers.
Castellanos drove in Kashimoto in the sixth to make it 5-4, then drew the intentional walk in the 10th that set up Sniffen’s winning at-bat. Kashimoto also ignited the final rally with his one-out infield single before scoring the winning run.
Roberts earned the win and delivered one of the most important quiet innings of the night by retiring UCLA in order in the 10th. Walk-off wins are remembered for the final swing, but they only happen if the pitcher on the other side keeps the game alive.
Sniffen’s single through the left side will be replayed and remembered for years in Moraga. In one swing, he completed the upset, sent Saint Mary’s to its first regional final, and authored a signature moment for the program.
Every NCAA tournament creates a few games that live longer than the bracket itself. This is one of them. Saint Mary’s was a No. 4 seed. UCLA was the No. 1 overall seed and regional host. The Gaels beat the Bruins once, then beat them again in an elimination game, on the road, in extra innings, after trailing late.
Those details matter because they are what turn a simple upset into a historic one. Saint Mary’s did not just take advantage of one bounce or one mistake. The Gaels repeatedly matched the moment and outlasted a national contender. That is why this result will continue to surface whenever people discuss notable NCAA baseball regional surprises.
For athletes and families learning about schools, stories like this are a reminder to look beyond brand names alone. Program trajectory, competitive environment, coaching trust, and opportunity all matter. If you are comparing schools and want a wider view of options, the Pathley College Directory can help you explore programs across divisions and regions, while the Pathley sign-up page offers access to tools for building a more informed college list.
The details of Saint Mary’s regional breakthrough were documented through the school’s official recap of the UCLA elimination win at SMCGaels.com, the official game statistics and box score at SMCGaels.com box score, the school’s report on the opening-round upset at SMCGaels.com, and broader tournament context from NCAA.com.
Saint Mary’s College of California may not have advanced to a super regional, but the Gaels accomplished something far more durable than a one-line bracket result. They reached the first NCAA regional final in program history, beat the No. 1 overall seed twice in the same regional, and authored one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 NCAA baseball tournament.
For Saint Mary’s, this was more than a dramatic win. It was a statement about what the program can be. And for anyone following college baseball, recruiting, or rising programs outside the usual national spotlight, it was a reminder that postseason history can come from anywhere.
