Key UCLA Outfielder To Miss NCAA Tournament Opener

This All-Big Ten outfielder will start the postseason on a mandatory one-game suspension.

Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach John Savage watches the team warm up before the game against the Murray State Races at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

UCLA's impressive baseball season, in which the Bruins held the No. 1 ranking throughout, has earned the Bruins the privilege of hosting a regional in Los Angeles during the NCAA Tournament. Yet, the Bruins will be without one of their breakout stars and most critical players when the Tournament begins.

Junior outfielder Will Gasparino, a Texas transfer, one of seven UCLA First Team All-Big Ten players, and a defensive star who had a breakout season at the plate, will be serving a mandatory one-game suspension due to a "malicious contact" ruling during Sunday's Big Ten Tournament Championship game against Oregon.

The Bruins' NCAA Tournament opponent has yet to be announced.

Mar 1, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins against Mississippi State Bulldogs during the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

What Happened

Gasparino was a base runner at third base during the bottom of the fourth inning with catcher Cashel Dugger up at bat. Already trailing 1-0 in the contest, Oregon had drawn its infield in to attempt to cut down Gasparino at the plate on a ball in play and minimize the deficit.

𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞@drewsmith1742 takes the charge! Gasparino ejected for malicious contact. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/NDnG5AzpyO

— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) May 24, 2026

Dugger slapped a ground ball to the Ducks' shortstop, who immediately threw home. Gasparino had taken off from third and got caught in a rundown trying to score. As he evaded defenders, the junior eventually ended up in a dead sprint back to third, and ran over the last defender as he was tagged out at the base.

There was no initial ruling involving "malicious contact," but Oregon challenged that aspect of the play for review, and Gaspariono was ejected from the game as a result.

NCAA's Malicious Contact Rule

Jun 17, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins right fielder A.J. Salgado (24) slides to second after hitting an RBI double in the 9th at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The rule enforced in this situation was NCAA Rule 8-7, known more commonly as the "Collision Rule." It specifies three instances of runner-fielder contact that commonly occur and separates each into its own section. The particular instance involved here is described in Section 2 and reads:

"If the contact is flagrant or malicious before the runner touches the plate [base], the runner shall be declared out and also ejected from the contest. The ball is immediately dead and all base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision."

Replacing Will Gasparino

It's a 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞-𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲 for Will Gasparino!#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/zcIgcGX3iT

— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) May 23, 2026

Replacing Gasparino will be no easy task. He's the Bruins' starting centerfielder and one of the best defenders in the country. He's become a reliable force, strengthening and lengthening the team's lineup, and UCLA might not have anyone else who can play his role with the same impact.

However, there are four other outfielders outside of the usual starting lineup who can help out, and fellow starters Dean West and Payton Brennan continue to man the corner spots. Three of the four replacement options have started games this season, while the fourth, San Francisco State transfer Michael Cunningham, is a former All-American centerfielder.

All tied up 👀

Aidan Espinoza evens things up with the two-out knock in the bottom of the 9th inning.

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/DOhmsSsblr

— Big Ten Baseball (@B1Gbaseball) May 24, 2026

Freshman Trey Gudoy has the most starts of the bunch, appearing in 27 games with 16 as a member of the lineup. He's hitting .281 with six RBIs and 12 runs scored. Redshirt sophomore Aiden Espinoza has also appeared in 27 games with five starts this season, hitting .342 with 10 RBIs. Senior Jarrod Hocking has made nine starts and is less of a threat offensively.

But with all the offensive talent already in the lineup, the defensive element of their games may be what influences the final decision.