Oregon Loses Big Ten Title On Walk-Off Hit By Pitch In 11 Innings to UCLA

Here's how the Oregon Ducks' aspirations of upsetting the UCLA Bruins in the Big Ten Tournament title game came up just short in 11 innings.

Oregon baseball Mark Wasikowski walks back to the dugout during the game against UCLA at PK Park in Eugene April 19, 2025 | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the Big Ten Tournament championship on the line, the No. 3-seeded Oregon Ducks aimed to upset the No. 1-seeded UCLA Bruins and put themselves in a prime position to host an NCAA Tournament Regional at PK Park in Eugene for the second consecutive season.    

The Ducks, however, fell to UCLA on a walk-off hit by pitch in the eleventh inning, as the Bruins captured their first Big Ten Tournament championship. It was a heartbreaking end for what was a remarkable Big Ten Tournament run, as the Bruins proved why they are among the top teams in college baseball and thrive in clutch moments with their third consecutive walk-off win in the Big Ten Tournament

Despite the loss, Oregon still managed to secure a home regional at PK Park that will begin on Friday, May 29.

Oregon infielder Naulivou Lauaki Jr. rounds the bases on a home run in the ninth inning as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ducks led 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth after back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning by sophomore catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus and redshirt freshman infielder Naulivou Lauaki Jr. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, UCLA redshirt sophomore Aidan Espinoza's single forced extra innings, where the Bruins eventually won.

LIVE SCORE UPDATES

FINAL SCORE: OREGON 2, UCLA 3

BOTTOM OF ELEVENTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 2

-Call hit by a pitch wins the Big Ten championship for UCLA.

-Espinoza strikes out for UCLA.

-Dugger strikes out to keep the game alive for Oregon.

-Bases loaded with no outs for UCLA with no outs.

-Martin and Brennan lead off the inning with a single for UCLA.

TOP OF ELEVENTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 2

-Brooks and Hellman strike out for Oregon.

-Molony fouls out to start the top of the eleventh.

BOTTOM OF TENTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 2

-Double play for Oregon to end the top of the tenth.

-Cholowsky hits a single to left for UCLA to put the winning run on first with one out.

-West grounds out for UCLA.

-Devin Bell on the mound for Oregon trying to keep the game alive.

TOP OF TENTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 2

-Lauaki Jr. flys out for Oregon to end the top of the tenth.

-Mabeus hits a single to left with two outs.

-Smith and Jaksa strike out to begin the top of the tenth.

BOTTOM OF NINTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 2

Call grounds out, game goes to extra innings.

-Espinoza delivers with an RBI single to tie the game, Brennan scores.

-Dugger strikes out, Oregon is one out away.

-Tying run now in scoring position as Hocking grounds out on a bunt.

-Four pitch walk puts tying run on first for UCLA.

TOP OF NINTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 1

-Cooney and Laya ground out as UCLA is down to its final three outs.

-Elijah Cook strikes out for Oregon to start the top of the ninth.

BOTTOM OF EIGHTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 1

-Levu strikes out and double play for Oregon ends the bottom of the eighth.

-Cholowsky hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.

-Tanner Bradley on the mound for Oregon to start the bottom of the eighth.

TOP OF EIGHTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 1

-Molony flys out, Brooks grounds out.

-Lauaki strikes out to lead off top of the eighth.

BOTTOM OF SEVENTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 1

-Call grounds out, West flys out to end bottom of the seventh.

-Aidan Espinoza flys out to lead off the bottom of the seventh.

TOP OF SEVENTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 1

-Double play to end the top of the seventh for Oregon.

-Jaksa hits a one out single to center for Oregon.

-Landon Stump on the mound for UCLA.

BOTTOM OF SIXTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 1

-Dugger flys out as UCLA strands a runner at third.

-Jarrod Hocking strikes out.

-Brennan hits a triple with one out for the Bruins.

-Collin Clarke now on the mound for Oregon to begin bottom of the sixth.

TOP OF SIXTH: OREGON 2, UCLA 1

-Laya grounds out to end a two-run top of the sixth for Oregon.

-Molony is walked for Oregon with no outs.

-Ian May now in at pitcher for the Bruins.

-Back-to-back home runs for the Ducks as Lauaki Jr. goes yard, 2-1 Oregon.

-Burke-Lee Mabeus ties the game with a solo home run to right.

-Justin Lee now on the mound for UCLA to begin top of the sixth.

BOTTOM OF FIFTH: OREGON 0, UCLA 1

-West, Cholowsky, and Levu all ground out for UCLA.

TOP OF FIFTH: OREGON 0, UCLA 1

-UCLA gets out of the jam as Jaksa grounds out to end the top of the fifth.

-Smith is walked to make it bases loaded for the Ducks with two outs.

-Laya is walked to put runners on first and second for the Ducks with two outs.

-Cooney hits a two out single to right for Oregon.

BOTTOM OF FOURTH: OREGON 0, UCLA 1

-Cadiz is walked with two outs for UCLA after a pitch clock violation.

-Gasparino ejected for UCLA for malicious contact on Drew Smith on a rundown at third base.

-Gasparino's triple puts UCLA on the board first. Brennan scores for the Bruins.

-Brennan is walked to put runner at first for UCLA with one out.

-Martin strikes out.

TOP OF FOURTH: OREGON 0, UCLA 0

-Molony's line drive to right is caught to end the top of the fourth.

-Lauaki Jr. singles to left with two outs.

-Mabeus grounds out for Oregon, two down for the Ducks.

BOTTOM OF THIRD: OREGON 0, UCLA 0

-Fly out on foul ball ends the third inning.

-Cholowsky called safe with another infield single.

-West grounds out for UCLA.

-Phoenix Call strikes out.

TOP OF THIRD: OREGON 0, UCLA 0

-Smith strikes out for the second time to end the top of the third.

-Angel Laya strikes out.

-Cooney is walked to put runners on first and second for Oregon with one out.

-Gabe Miranda pinch hits for Oregon, hits bunt to advance Brooks to second with one out.

-Jack Brooks opens up the top of the third with a single.

BOTTOM OF SECOND: OREGON 0, UCLA 0

-Dominic Cadiz strikes out to end the bottom of the second.

-Tremendous double play by Oregon to get runners out at third and first.

-Will Gasparino's walk puts runners on first and second with no outs.

-Payton Brennan hit by a pitch to put him on first to begin the bottom of the second.

TOP OF SECOND: OREGON 0, UCLA 0

-Maddox Molony flys out to end the top of the second.

-Naulivou Lauaki Jr. strikes out.

-Burke-Lee Mabeus' bunt allows Jaksa to get to second.

-Brayden Jaksa leads off the top of the second with a single.

BOTTOM OF FIRST: OREGON 0, UCLA 0

-Roman Martin strikes out to end the first inning.

-Mulivai Levu flys out for UCLA.

-Roch Cholowsky called safe with an infield single.

-Dean West called out after diving play by Cooney.

-Miles Gosztola starts on the mound for Oregon.

TOP OF FIRST: OREGON 0, UCLA 0

-Drew Smith strikes out to end the top of the first inning.

-Ryan Cooney hits first pitch pop up for Oregon.

-Angel Cervantes gets the start on the mound for UCLA.

LINEUPS

UCLA BRUINS

1. Dean West
2. Roch Cholowsky
3. Mulivai Levu
4. Roman Martin
5. Payton Brennan 
6. Will Gasparino 
7. Cashel Dugger
8. Dominic Cadiz
9. Phoenix Call
10. Angel Cervantes 

OREGON DUCKS

1. Ryan Cooney
2. Angel Laya
3. Drew Smith
4. Brayden Jaksa
5. Burke-Lee Mabeus
6. Naulivou Lauaki
7. Maddox Molony
8. Jack Brooks
9. Jax Gimenez
10. Miles Gosztola

PREVIEW

Oregon pitcher Cal Scolari throws a pitch as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 3-seeded Oregon Ducks took on the No. 1-seeded UCLA Bruins in the Big Ten Tournament Title game at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska on Sunday. 

Both teams were in pursuit of their first Big Ten Tournament title, and the Ducks looked to potentially lock up hosting an NCAA Tournament Regional in Eugene by upsetting one of the best teams in college baseball, the UCLA Bruins.

To advance to the championship game, the Ducks shut down the No. 2-seeded Nebraska Cornhuskers 8-0 on Saturday night in the semifinals, led by a dominant pitching performance by sophomore right-handed pitcher Will Sanford. Three Oregon players also recorded home runs in the shutout win, including shortstop Maddox Molony, right fielder Angel Laya, and first baseman Brayden Jaksa. 

Oregon outfielder Angel Laya, center, and Oregon infielder Naulivou Lauaki Jr., left, celebrate a home run by Laya as the Oregon Ducks host the Oregon State Beavers on March 3, 2026, at PK Park in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In hopes of pulling off the upset against the Bruins, the Ducks looked to continue their mound dominance and keep their bats hot. During the Ducks' two prior Big Ten Tournament games against the Washington Huskies and Nebraska Cornhuskers in Omaha, they recorded eight total home runs.

The Ducks have also outscored their opponents 17-4 in their two Big Ten Tournament games heading into Sunday's championship matchup against the Bruins.

UCLA reached the championship game in walkoff style, rallying from a 5-4 deficit against their arch-rival, the No. 4-seeded USC Trojans, in the semifinals. Down to their final out in the bottom of the ninth, junior first baseman Mulivai Levu's three-run walk-off home run lifted the Bruins over the Trojans. 

Entering the championship game, a player that Oregon needed to watch was the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, UCLA junior infielder Roch Cholowsky, who is considered one of the best players in college baseball this season. Cholowsky has recorded 71 runs, 69 hits, 59 RBI’s, and 21 home runs this season for the Bruins. 

Jun 17, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins shortstop Roch Cholowsky (1) throws to first base against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the third inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

During the regular season, the Bruins went 2-1 against the Ducks in a series at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles that featured scrappiness between both teams. The series featured coaches from both Oregon and UCLA’s dugouts being ejected from the game. 

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.