Saturday, June 14
Omaha, Neb.
11:00 AM PT
UCLA
vs
Murray State
Phoenix Call
Photo by: Mac Brown
UCLA Opens CWS Tomorrow Against Murray State
June 13, 2025 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES - The UCLA baseball team has advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. for the sixth time in program history and will chase its first national title since its last appearance in 2013. The Bruins will open the CWS with a contest against Murray State on Saturday, June 14 at 11 a.m. PT (1 p.m. CT). The games will be broadcast on the ESPN with Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, Ben McDonald, and Dani Wexelman on the call. Fans can also follow along with live stats (StatBroadcast) and X/Twitter updates (@UCLABaseball).
ย
CWS INFORMATION
Venue:ย Charles Schwab Field Omaha
Stream:ย ESPN
Talent:ย Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, Ben McDonald, Dani Wexelman
Live Stats:ย ucla.statbroadcast.com
UCLA Radio Network: Nick Koopย (play-by-play) & Sid Iyer (color) - LISTEN
ย
THE RUNDOWNย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
UCLA punched its ticket to the College World Series, sweeping UTSA in the Los Angeles Super Regional. The Bruins secured a 5-2 victory in game one behind Michael Barnett's efficient start and Roman Martin's clutch two-run triple. UCLA's bullpen sealed the win, setting up a chance to clinch the series on Sunday. In game two, the Bruins dominated, shutting out UTSA 7-0 with stellar pitching and a balanced offensive attack. Landon Stump led a combined shutout effort, while Payton Brennan paced the offense with three hits and two RBIs. The Bruins' defense and bullpen were lights-out, closing the series with 16 consecutive scoreless innings. With the sweep, UCLA returns to Omaha for the first time since 2013, marking its sixth College World Series appearance.
UCLA AT THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIESย ย
UCLA is set to make its sixth College World Series appearance this week. The Bruins captured the program's only national championship in their last CWS appearance, winning five consecutive games, including two straight over Mississippi State in the national championship series. In five total appearances, UCLA has a 9-9 overall record. The Bruins reached Omaha three times in a four-year span from 2010-2013. The Bruins won 10 consecutive games in their national title run in 2013, sweeping the regional, super regional, and CWS. Coming into the weekend, UCLA has won all five of its postseason contests. UCLA's previous College World Series berths occurred in 1969, 1997, 2010, 2012, and 2013.
ย
ABOUT THE RACERSย ย ย ย ย ย
Murray State advanced to its first-ever College World Series after escaping the Oxford Regional and winning two straight games after an early defeat to take down Duke in the Durham Super Regional. The Racers have achieved a program-record 44 wins. Murray State is the first team from the Missouri Valley Conference to reach the CWS since 2003 (Missouri State).ย Since the NCAA Tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 1999, Murray State is just the fourth regional No. 4 seed to make it to Omaha.
ย
RECORD-BREAKING ROCHย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
OFFENSIVE SUPERLATIVESย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
CHOLOWSKY NAMED DICK HOWSER TROPHY FINALISTย
UCLA sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowsky has been selected as a Dick Howser Trophy finalist by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). Cholowsky becomes the first Bruin to be named a finalist for the award since David Berg in 2015. A slugging standout from Chandler, Ariz., Cholowsky made UCLA history in the program's first Big Ten season, earning both Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors, becoming the first Bruin to claim both awards in the same season. His selection also marked UCLA's first conference Player of the Year recognition since 1998, when the team competed in the Pac-12.
ย
POSTSEASON PAYTONย
Payton Brennan has been scorching hot at the plate for the Bruins in the postseason, hitting .514 (18-for-35) in UCLA's nine postseason contests. The outfielder has collected 14 RBIs and scored 10 runs during his outstanding run. Brennan has slugged a team-best .829 during the span while posting an on-base percentage of .548. In the Los Angeles Regional, Brennan racked up a tournament-high eight hits with 15 total bases. He notched four extra base hits to post a slugging percentage of 1.154 for the weekend. In the super regional, Brennan came up with a clutch 3-for-4 performance in the series-clinching game, driving in three runs in the last two innings to give the Bruins a sizable cushion late in the contest.
MARTIN MASHESย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Roman Martin has been another important component in UCLA's postseason offensive surge, blasting six homers over last month. The sophomore delivered a standout performance at the plate in the Los Angeles Regional, receiving Most Outstanding Player honors. The third baseman homered in each of the first two contests, including a pivotal grand slam that ignited the Bruins' explosive seven-run second inning against Arizona State. Across the weekend, Martin hit .400 (6-for-15), driving in eight runs and scoring five. Martin continued to swing a hot bat in the super regional, going 4-for-8 (.500) with a crucial two-run triple the eighth inning of UCLA's 5-2 win in the opening game.
LIGHTS OUT FRESHMANย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Freshman right-hander Easton Hawk has stepped into UCLA's closer role in the back half of the season and he has been brilliant as of late, allowing just one run over his last 11 apperances. He has struck out 13 batters over that span. In postseason play, Hawk has held opposing batters to a .143 average while collecting two saves.
REGIONAL RECAPย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
UCLA showcased its offensive firepower in NCAA Regional play, rolling through Fresno State (19-4), Arizona State (11-5), and UC Irvine (8-5) to secure a Super Regional berth. The Bruins tallied a season-high 22 hits in their opener, with Roman Martin, Payton Brennan, and Cashel Dugger all going deep. Against Arizona State, a seven-run second inning, highlighted by Martin's grand slam, proved to be decisive. UCLA capped off the weekend with an 8-0 start against UC Irvine, powered by a three-run blast from Mulivai Levu. The Bruins' bullpen held firm down the stretch, closing out UC Irvine to advance.
BRILLIANT BULLPENย ย ย ย ย ย
UCLA's bullpen has been extremely impressive as of late, shutting out UTSA for 16 consecutive innings to close out the Los Angeles Super Regional. The Roadrunners scored twice within the first two innings of the weekend, then did not score for the remainder of the super regional. In the series-clinching win, the UCLA bullpen combined for five hitless innings. In the two games, the UCLA bullpen faced just one batter over the minimum.
ย
CARDIAC BRUINSย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
UCLA has scored first just 27 times in its 63 games this season, racking up a total of 21 come-from-behind victories. Remarkably, the Bruins have pulled off three comebacks after trailing by five or more runs. UCLA is 26-1 when scoring first in 2025.
ย
ROCH AND THE ADVANCED STATISTICS
Roch Cholowsky has undoubtedly been one of the nation's most valuable players, and the advanced statistics prove it. According to data compiled by 643 charts, Cholowsky leads the nation in wins-above-replacement (WAR) with a mark of 6.45, over a full game more than the next closest player. UCLA's shortstop has particularly stood out defensively with a defensive-runs-saved (DRS) mark of 18.30 and defensive WAR of 1.37. At the plate, Cholowsky has been equally impressive, leading the country in offensive WAR at 5.08 and offensive runs-above-replacement (ORAR) of 67.88.
DAZZLING DOUBLE PLAYSย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
The UCLA defense has turned 63 double plays this season which is the top mark in the country. The Bruins also lead the country in double plays-per-game, averaging exactly one double play per contest. It is worth noting that nearly all the double play turns have taken place in the infield as first baseman Mulivai Levu has been involved in 62 of the 63 twin killings. The Bruins have been excellent defensively in 2025, posting a fielding percentage of .982 which ranks eighth nationally. Levu has been fantastic playing his position at first base, making just one error in 539 total chances (.998 fielding percentage).
ย
IN ELITE COMPANYย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Head Coach John Savage recently reached a significant milestone, eclipsing the 800-win mark for his career with a Saturday night win at Illinois. With 723 wins at UCLA, he ranks second all-time, trailing only Gary Adams (1975-2004) who finished his career with 984 wins. Savage began his head coaching career at UC Irvine, where he notched 88 wins in his first three seasons, bringing his career total to 811, which ranks 23rd among active Division I coaches and first among active Big Ten coaches. His winning percentage of .601 with the Bruins is the highest among UCLA coaches with over 100 games coached.
ย
QUITE THE INTRODUCTIONย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Sophomore Grant Gray received his first career start in UCLA's midweek matchup with LMU on Tuesday night, and he made the most of it, launching a two-run home run in what was his first career hit. Gray is a two-way athlete, as he also competes as a wide out for the UCLA football team.
ย
FRIENDLY CONFINESย ย ย ย ย
UCLA clinched its 10th consecutive season with a winning record at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Bruins have had a losing record at home just twice over the last 21 seasons, last occurring in 2014 (11-20).
ย
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCKย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
UCLA added 11 newcomers ahead of the 2025 season, including eight freshmen and three transfers. Coach Savage has bolstered his pitching staff with three pitchers joining via the transfer portal. Left-hander Ian May (California) will look to occupy a spot in the starting rotation after logging 20 starts and 90.0 total innings for the Golden Bears. Fellow southpaw Ryan Rissas (UC San Diego) helped lead the Tritons to their first-ever Big West title in 2023. August Souza (Santa Clara) brings 43 appearances worth of experience after spending a total of five seasons (including 2020 Covid-shortened season) at Santa Clara.
ย
ย
CWS INFORMATION
Venue:ย Charles Schwab Field Omaha
Stream:ย ESPN
Talent:ย Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, Ben McDonald, Dani Wexelman
Live Stats:ย ucla.statbroadcast.com
UCLA Radio Network: Nick Koopย (play-by-play) & Sid Iyer (color) - LISTEN
ย
THE RUNDOWNย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
- UCLA swept through postseason play to advance to the College World Series
- UCLA defeated UTSA twice in the Los Angeles Super Regional
- UCLA was selected as the No. 15 national seed and hosted its first NCAA Super Regional since 2019
- UCLA makes its sixth appearance at the CWS and fourth under Head Coach John Savage
- The last time the Bruins reached the CWS, they won their first and only national championship
- UCLA earned its seventh super regional berth and sixth under Head Coach John Savage
- The Bruins return to the postseason for the 15th time in the last 21 seasons
- Head Coach John Savage holds UCLA's best postseason record, going 51-27 across 14 appearances
- UCLA won eight of its 10 conference series to earn a share of the Big Ten Conference regular season title
- Roch Cholowsky was named Big Ten Player of the Year, the league's defensive player of the year, and received a First Team nod
- UCLA's 47 wins are its most since 2019 and fifth-most in program history
- UCLA claimed its first conference title since 2019
- HC John Savage secured his fifth conference championship at UCLA
- Six different Bruins received All-Conference honors: Cholowsky (1st), Levu, Barnett, Martin, Salgado (2nd), and Moss (FT)
- The program has clinched another winning record, making it 16 winning records in 21 seasons under HC John Savage
- With UCLA's victory on May 10, Coach Savage earned his 800th career win
- UCLA's defense leads the country in double plays (63) and double plays-per-game (1.00)
- UCLA has won 13 of its 15 weekend series this season
- UCLA went 31-7 at Jackie Robinson Stadium this season
- UCLA's team fielding percentage of .982 ranks eighth nationally and first in the Big Ten
- UCLA collected five weekend sweeps, including four during Big Ten play
- Roch Cholowsky was recently named a Dick Howser Trophy finalist and Perfect Game College Player of the Year
- According to data compiled by 643 charts, Cholowsky leads the nation in wins-above-replacement (WAR) at 6.45
- Cholowsky's 23 home runs is the most by a Bruin since 2000 (Forrest Johnson)
- Cholowsky leads the team in hitting at .367, mashing 23 home runs, collecting 73 RBIs, and slugging .742
- Cholowsky boasted a Big Ten-best OPS of 1.261
- Dean West currently holds the single-season HBP record with 22 this season
- Michael Barnett ranks third in the nation and tops the Big Ten with 12 wins on the season
- AJ Salgado is the first UCLA player to record double-digit home runs (12) and stolen bases (12) in a season since 2012
- Mulivai Levu ranks second in the nation and leads the Big Ten with 85 RBIsย ย ย ย ย ย
- Levu and Cholowsky have combined for the most RBIs (158) by a UCLA duo since 1997
- In 2023, the Bruins welcomed the top signing class in the country
- The Bruins were picked to finish fourth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll
- Roch Cholowsky, Cody Delvecchio, and Dean West were named Big Ten Players to Watch
- UCLA is coming off a 19-33 campaign, snapping a streak of seven consecutive winning seasons
- Three transfer pitchers (Ian May - Cal, Ryan Rissas - UCSD, August Souza - Santa Clara) bolster UCLA's pitching staff
UCLA punched its ticket to the College World Series, sweeping UTSA in the Los Angeles Super Regional. The Bruins secured a 5-2 victory in game one behind Michael Barnett's efficient start and Roman Martin's clutch two-run triple. UCLA's bullpen sealed the win, setting up a chance to clinch the series on Sunday. In game two, the Bruins dominated, shutting out UTSA 7-0 with stellar pitching and a balanced offensive attack. Landon Stump led a combined shutout effort, while Payton Brennan paced the offense with three hits and two RBIs. The Bruins' defense and bullpen were lights-out, closing the series with 16 consecutive scoreless innings. With the sweep, UCLA returns to Omaha for the first time since 2013, marking its sixth College World Series appearance.
UCLA AT THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIESย ย
UCLA is set to make its sixth College World Series appearance this week. The Bruins captured the program's only national championship in their last CWS appearance, winning five consecutive games, including two straight over Mississippi State in the national championship series. In five total appearances, UCLA has a 9-9 overall record. The Bruins reached Omaha three times in a four-year span from 2010-2013. The Bruins won 10 consecutive games in their national title run in 2013, sweeping the regional, super regional, and CWS. Coming into the weekend, UCLA has won all five of its postseason contests. UCLA's previous College World Series berths occurred in 1969, 1997, 2010, 2012, and 2013.
ย
ABOUT THE RACERSย ย ย ย ย ย
Murray State advanced to its first-ever College World Series after escaping the Oxford Regional and winning two straight games after an early defeat to take down Duke in the Durham Super Regional. The Racers have achieved a program-record 44 wins. Murray State is the first team from the Missouri Valley Conference to reach the CWS since 2003 (Missouri State).ย Since the NCAA Tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 1999, Murray State is just the fourth regional No. 4 seed to make it to Omaha.
ย
RECORD-BREAKING ROCHย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
- Roch Cholowsky has etched his name all over the UCLA record books in 2025. Cholowsky:
- Has scored 79 runs this season โ he needs two to tie the program record of 81, set by Chase Utley in 2000.
- Needs three doubles (19 current) to place himself in the program's all-time top 10 for doubles in a single season.
- Is tied second all time for stolen bases in a season without getting caught stealing (7) in the Super Regional Era behind Ben Francisco (15) in 2001. He is tied with Cody Regis (2010), Brett Krill (2010), Jeff Gelalich (2010), and Ryan McCarthy (2004).
- Has 175 total bases this season โ this is third all time for an individual in a single season in the Super Regional Era, behind Bill Scott in 1999 (175) and Bill Scott in 2000 (204). Cholowski is 7th all-time in program history for total bases in a single season for an individual; the record was set by Troy Glaus in 1997 with 227 total bases.
OFFENSIVE SUPERLATIVESย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
- Roch Cholowsky and Mulivai Levu have a combined 158 runs batted in on the season. This is second in a single season to the program record, 182, set by Troy Glaus and Eric Valent in 1997.
- Before this season, the individual record of hit-by-pitches in a single season was 19, set by Ethan "Duce" Gourson in 2022. This season, three Bruins, Roch Cholowsy Dean West, and Roman Martin have surpassed this mark. West currently holds the top spot with 22 hit-by-pitches and Cholowsky is right behind him with 21. Martin, has also surpassed the former record set by Gourson with 20 HBPs on the year.
- UCLA's team slugging percentage is .473 this season โ this is second all time for a team in a single season in the Super Regional Era, behind only the 1999 Bruins who had a .477 slg%. The 2025 Bruins are ranked 10th in program history in slugging percentage.
- Mulivai Levu has seven sacrifice flies this season โ this is two behind the program record of nine sacrifice flies by an individual in a single season, set by Brett McMillan in 2004.
CHOLOWSKY NAMED DICK HOWSER TROPHY FINALISTย
UCLA sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowsky has been selected as a Dick Howser Trophy finalist by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). Cholowsky becomes the first Bruin to be named a finalist for the award since David Berg in 2015. A slugging standout from Chandler, Ariz., Cholowsky made UCLA history in the program's first Big Ten season, earning both Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors, becoming the first Bruin to claim both awards in the same season. His selection also marked UCLA's first conference Player of the Year recognition since 1998, when the team competed in the Pac-12.
ย
POSTSEASON PAYTONย
Payton Brennan has been scorching hot at the plate for the Bruins in the postseason, hitting .514 (18-for-35) in UCLA's nine postseason contests. The outfielder has collected 14 RBIs and scored 10 runs during his outstanding run. Brennan has slugged a team-best .829 during the span while posting an on-base percentage of .548. In the Los Angeles Regional, Brennan racked up a tournament-high eight hits with 15 total bases. He notched four extra base hits to post a slugging percentage of 1.154 for the weekend. In the super regional, Brennan came up with a clutch 3-for-4 performance in the series-clinching game, driving in three runs in the last two innings to give the Bruins a sizable cushion late in the contest.
MARTIN MASHESย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Roman Martin has been another important component in UCLA's postseason offensive surge, blasting six homers over last month. The sophomore delivered a standout performance at the plate in the Los Angeles Regional, receiving Most Outstanding Player honors. The third baseman homered in each of the first two contests, including a pivotal grand slam that ignited the Bruins' explosive seven-run second inning against Arizona State. Across the weekend, Martin hit .400 (6-for-15), driving in eight runs and scoring five. Martin continued to swing a hot bat in the super regional, going 4-for-8 (.500) with a crucial two-run triple the eighth inning of UCLA's 5-2 win in the opening game.
LIGHTS OUT FRESHMANย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Freshman right-hander Easton Hawk has stepped into UCLA's closer role in the back half of the season and he has been brilliant as of late, allowing just one run over his last 11 apperances. He has struck out 13 batters over that span. In postseason play, Hawk has held opposing batters to a .143 average while collecting two saves.
REGIONAL RECAPย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
UCLA showcased its offensive firepower in NCAA Regional play, rolling through Fresno State (19-4), Arizona State (11-5), and UC Irvine (8-5) to secure a Super Regional berth. The Bruins tallied a season-high 22 hits in their opener, with Roman Martin, Payton Brennan, and Cashel Dugger all going deep. Against Arizona State, a seven-run second inning, highlighted by Martin's grand slam, proved to be decisive. UCLA capped off the weekend with an 8-0 start against UC Irvine, powered by a three-run blast from Mulivai Levu. The Bruins' bullpen held firm down the stretch, closing out UC Irvine to advance.
BRILLIANT BULLPENย ย ย ย ย ย
UCLA's bullpen has been extremely impressive as of late, shutting out UTSA for 16 consecutive innings to close out the Los Angeles Super Regional. The Roadrunners scored twice within the first two innings of the weekend, then did not score for the remainder of the super regional. In the series-clinching win, the UCLA bullpen combined for five hitless innings. In the two games, the UCLA bullpen faced just one batter over the minimum.
ย
CARDIAC BRUINSย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
UCLA has scored first just 27 times in its 63 games this season, racking up a total of 21 come-from-behind victories. Remarkably, the Bruins have pulled off three comebacks after trailing by five or more runs. UCLA is 26-1 when scoring first in 2025.
ย
ROCH AND THE ADVANCED STATISTICS
Roch Cholowsky has undoubtedly been one of the nation's most valuable players, and the advanced statistics prove it. According to data compiled by 643 charts, Cholowsky leads the nation in wins-above-replacement (WAR) with a mark of 6.45, over a full game more than the next closest player. UCLA's shortstop has particularly stood out defensively with a defensive-runs-saved (DRS) mark of 18.30 and defensive WAR of 1.37. At the plate, Cholowsky has been equally impressive, leading the country in offensive WAR at 5.08 and offensive runs-above-replacement (ORAR) of 67.88.
DAZZLING DOUBLE PLAYSย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
The UCLA defense has turned 63 double plays this season which is the top mark in the country. The Bruins also lead the country in double plays-per-game, averaging exactly one double play per contest. It is worth noting that nearly all the double play turns have taken place in the infield as first baseman Mulivai Levu has been involved in 62 of the 63 twin killings. The Bruins have been excellent defensively in 2025, posting a fielding percentage of .982 which ranks eighth nationally. Levu has been fantastic playing his position at first base, making just one error in 539 total chances (.998 fielding percentage).
ย
IN ELITE COMPANYย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Head Coach John Savage recently reached a significant milestone, eclipsing the 800-win mark for his career with a Saturday night win at Illinois. With 723 wins at UCLA, he ranks second all-time, trailing only Gary Adams (1975-2004) who finished his career with 984 wins. Savage began his head coaching career at UC Irvine, where he notched 88 wins in his first three seasons, bringing his career total to 811, which ranks 23rd among active Division I coaches and first among active Big Ten coaches. His winning percentage of .601 with the Bruins is the highest among UCLA coaches with over 100 games coached.
ย
QUITE THE INTRODUCTIONย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Sophomore Grant Gray received his first career start in UCLA's midweek matchup with LMU on Tuesday night, and he made the most of it, launching a two-run home run in what was his first career hit. Gray is a two-way athlete, as he also competes as a wide out for the UCLA football team.
ย
FRIENDLY CONFINESย ย ย ย ย
UCLA clinched its 10th consecutive season with a winning record at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Bruins have had a losing record at home just twice over the last 21 seasons, last occurring in 2014 (11-20).
ย
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCKย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
UCLA added 11 newcomers ahead of the 2025 season, including eight freshmen and three transfers. Coach Savage has bolstered his pitching staff with three pitchers joining via the transfer portal. Left-hander Ian May (California) will look to occupy a spot in the starting rotation after logging 20 starts and 90.0 total innings for the Golden Bears. Fellow southpaw Ryan Rissas (UC San Diego) helped lead the Tritons to their first-ever Big West title in 2023. August Souza (Santa Clara) brings 43 appearances worth of experience after spending a total of five seasons (including 2020 Covid-shortened season) at Santa Clara.
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UCLA Baseball Postgame - Coach Savage & Players vs. Murray State (June 14, 2025)
Saturday, June 14
Highlights - UCLA Baseball vs. Murray State (June 14, 2025)
Saturday, June 14