Friday, May 29
Los Angeles, Calif.
12:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
UCLA
#18 Ian Josephson at regional practice at Jackie Robinson Stadium
BSB | Gaels Set for Battle; Take on No. 1 UCLA in Opening Game of NCAA Regional
5/28/2026 6:40:00 PM | Baseball
LOS ANGELES – The Saint Mary's baseball team has arrived in Los Angeles and is set to take on the number one overall seed and host UCLA on Friday, May 29 at 12 p.m. in the opening game of the 2026 NCAA Los Angeles Regional.
The Gaels brought the energy Thursday afternoon with their Mike Tyson t-shirts at practice at Jackie Robinson Stadium, a part of the team's Tyson mentality instilled by head coach Eric Valenzuela. Like Tyson, the Gaels are ready for battle as they will seek their second NCAA Tournament victory in program history on Friday, looking to knock off the Bruins for one of the most monumental wins in program history.
Friday's game has been moved to ESPN2 for a national audience as Saint Mary's will battle UCLA for just the ninth time in program history and the first time in an NCAA Regional.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
BSB | 4-seed Saint Mary's vs. 1-seed UCLA | Jackie Robinson Stadium
Los Angeles, Calif. | May 29 | 12 p.m.
Live Stats | ESPN2 | Tickets
GAELS OUTLOOK
Saint Mary's Goes Back-to-Back as WCC Tournament Champions…
In similar fashion, Saint Mary's went 4-1 in Scottsdale last week to claim its second consecutive WCC Tournament title and third overall in program history. The Gaels accomplished the feat as the five-seed, the lowest seed to ever win the tournament title in its 14-year history. Saint Mary's scored nine runs in the eighth inning Wednesday night to come from behind and defeat Pepperdine 9-2. John Damozonio went six innings for the Gaels, allowing just two hits and a pair of unearned runs while Lukas Sarantos closed the game with three scoreless to put the Gaels into the final four of the tournament.
On Thursday, the Gaels would get matched up with top-seed Gonzaga as the lowest seed remaining. Gonzaga swept Saint Mary's in Moraga back in April, outscoring them 27-11 but the Gaels would get the last laugh and send the Zags into the losers bracket with a dominant 13-4 victory. Sam Kretsch was stellar on the mound with six innings of work while the Gaels offense tallied 13 runs off 18 hits to take down the 2026 WCC Regular Season champions. Saint Mary's then held off a late surge from the two-seed Pacific Tigers on Friday, winning 10-7 to send them to Championship Saturday a perfect 3-0, just like the 2025 season.
The Gaels would match up with Bay Area rival San Francisco as the Dons bounced Gonzaga and beat Pacific in the final elimination game on Friday to reach their first ever WCC Tournament final. The Dons won 9-8 in game one to force the if-necessary but Saint Mary's made big plays and got a pair of insurance runs in the ninth to hang on for the 7-6 victory for its second consecutive conference tournament title. Sarantos made his second appearance of the week and got the start for the final game, completing six herculean innings to put himself in line for the win. Redshirt freshman David Roberts also made his second appearance of the week and recorded his third save of the season, completing the ninth inning to secure the 7-6 victory.
Valenzuela Leads Gaels to Second Straight and Third Overall NCAA Regional Appearance…
Saint Mary's head coach Eric Valenzuela has transcended the Gaels' baseball program, leading them to back-to-back WCC Tournament championships for the first time in program history. Valenzuela put Saint Mary's on the map with a tournament title in 2016, which included notable alumni such as Tony Gonsolin and Corbin Burnes. Since returning to Moraga in 2024, Valenzuela has led the Gaels back to the promised land, securing two more tournament titles as well as the program's first NCAA Tournament win in 2025. The Gaels upset 8th ranked and host Oregon State 6-4 on national television, shocking the college baseball world and making a statement that would change the trajectory of the program for years to come.
Valenzuela and his 2026 squad are battle tested and ready for more history as they will look for another signature win over number one overall seed UCLA Friday afternoon and a chance to advance to their first Super Regional in program history.
WCC All-Tournament Team; Ian Armstrong Named Most Outstanding Player…
Saint Mary's had four players selected to the All-Tournament team including the tournament's Most Outstanding Player in sophomore catcher Ian Armstrong. Armstrong tied the team lead with eleven hits and led the Gaels with two homers and seven RBI as he continues to represent one of the most talented catchers in the sophomore class across the country. Armstrong finished the regular season with a .358 batting average and led the WCC with 15 home runs for a new career high, more than doubling his total from his 2025 freshman campaign.
Tanner Griffith, Diego Castellanos, John Damozonio and Lukas Sarantos were the other four Gaels named to the All-Tournament team. Griffith has had a breakout season as a true junior and continued his tear into Scottsdale, tying the team lead with eleven hits and four doubles as the Livermore native was a menace out of the leadoff spot all week long. Castellanos hit .400 from the plate over his four games and had arguably the biggest play of the tournament, throwing out a runner at the plate in the eighth inning of the championship game to preserve a 5-4 lead over USF. Not to mention, Castellanos is riding a current 35-game hit streak and is just one game shy of tying the WCC record of 36 games set back in 2014.
In 2025, the Gaels seemed to slug their way to the title but this year they had several standout pitching performances to claim their second consecutive tournament title. Senior right hander John Damozonio missed his final two starts of the regular season only to return for the tournament opener and deal six innings allowing a season low two hits and a pair of unearned runs. The Gaels got their ace off the hook with a nine-run eighth inning to win and advance. Lukas Sarantos is another talented sophomore for the Gaels from last year's squad and made two appearances on the week, closing out game one against Pepperdine with three scoreless innings to earn the win before getting the start in the championship game and powering through six innings in a herculean performance. Sarantos got credit for the win in that game as well to finish the week 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA.
NCAA Regional History…
Saint Mary's is a combined 1-4 in its two NCAA Regional appearances. The Gaels went 0-2 in the 2016 Raleigh Regional hosted by NC State. The roster included program greats Corbin Burnes and Tony Gonsolin with Burnes starting the opener for Saint Mary's. Coastal Carolina would come out of that region and memorably go on to win the College World Series that season.
The Gaels returned to the national stage nine seasons later under Valenzuela, earning the four-seed in the Corvallis Regional in 2025. Saint Mary's would make history this time around, knocking off eighth-ranked Oregon State 6-4 on opening night of the regional for their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history. The Gaels have made a regional, won an NCAA Tournament game, and will now chase their next goal of winning a regional and advancing to supers where no Saint Mary's baseball team has gone before.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (51-6, 28-2 Big Ten)
UCLA became the first team in college baseball history to go wire-to-wire as the number one team in the nation, entering the regional with a 51-6 record. The Bruins swept both the Big Ten Regular Season and Conference Tournament championships to stand as the unanimous number one overall seed and were the first team to 50 wins during the 2026 season.
The Bruins boast one of the top prospects in the country in junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky. Cholowsky enters the regional with a .328 batting average and a team high 21 home runs to bolster their offense. Aside from the talented middle infielder, UCLA owns the best ERA in the country with a staff earned run average of 3.27. USD transfer Logan Reddemann leads the staff with a team high eight wins backed by a 2.87 ERA but has not pitched since April 17 due to injury. Outside of the starting rotation, head coach John Savage boasts a talented bullpen featuring Easton Hawk and Cal Randall who each have 31 appearances and sub 3.20 ERA's. Hawk is one of the best closers in the country sitting in second in all of Division I with 14 saves.
Saint Mary's will take on the top ranked team in the country for just the fifth time in program history on Friday. The Gaels dropped a three-game series to number one Miami back in 2008 and then lost a midweek to top ranked Oregon State in 2017, 4-3. Friday's Los Angeles Regional opener will be streamed live on ESPN2.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
The Gaels brought the energy Thursday afternoon with their Mike Tyson t-shirts at practice at Jackie Robinson Stadium, a part of the team's Tyson mentality instilled by head coach Eric Valenzuela. Like Tyson, the Gaels are ready for battle as they will seek their second NCAA Tournament victory in program history on Friday, looking to knock off the Bruins for one of the most monumental wins in program history.
Friday's game has been moved to ESPN2 for a national audience as Saint Mary's will battle UCLA for just the ninth time in program history and the first time in an NCAA Regional.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
BSB | 4-seed Saint Mary's vs. 1-seed UCLA | Jackie Robinson Stadium
Los Angeles, Calif. | May 29 | 12 p.m.
Live Stats | ESPN2 | Tickets
GAELS OUTLOOK
Saint Mary's Goes Back-to-Back as WCC Tournament Champions…
In similar fashion, Saint Mary's went 4-1 in Scottsdale last week to claim its second consecutive WCC Tournament title and third overall in program history. The Gaels accomplished the feat as the five-seed, the lowest seed to ever win the tournament title in its 14-year history. Saint Mary's scored nine runs in the eighth inning Wednesday night to come from behind and defeat Pepperdine 9-2. John Damozonio went six innings for the Gaels, allowing just two hits and a pair of unearned runs while Lukas Sarantos closed the game with three scoreless to put the Gaels into the final four of the tournament.
On Thursday, the Gaels would get matched up with top-seed Gonzaga as the lowest seed remaining. Gonzaga swept Saint Mary's in Moraga back in April, outscoring them 27-11 but the Gaels would get the last laugh and send the Zags into the losers bracket with a dominant 13-4 victory. Sam Kretsch was stellar on the mound with six innings of work while the Gaels offense tallied 13 runs off 18 hits to take down the 2026 WCC Regular Season champions. Saint Mary's then held off a late surge from the two-seed Pacific Tigers on Friday, winning 10-7 to send them to Championship Saturday a perfect 3-0, just like the 2025 season.
The Gaels would match up with Bay Area rival San Francisco as the Dons bounced Gonzaga and beat Pacific in the final elimination game on Friday to reach their first ever WCC Tournament final. The Dons won 9-8 in game one to force the if-necessary but Saint Mary's made big plays and got a pair of insurance runs in the ninth to hang on for the 7-6 victory for its second consecutive conference tournament title. Sarantos made his second appearance of the week and got the start for the final game, completing six herculean innings to put himself in line for the win. Redshirt freshman David Roberts also made his second appearance of the week and recorded his third save of the season, completing the ninth inning to secure the 7-6 victory.
Valenzuela Leads Gaels to Second Straight and Third Overall NCAA Regional Appearance…
Saint Mary's head coach Eric Valenzuela has transcended the Gaels' baseball program, leading them to back-to-back WCC Tournament championships for the first time in program history. Valenzuela put Saint Mary's on the map with a tournament title in 2016, which included notable alumni such as Tony Gonsolin and Corbin Burnes. Since returning to Moraga in 2024, Valenzuela has led the Gaels back to the promised land, securing two more tournament titles as well as the program's first NCAA Tournament win in 2025. The Gaels upset 8th ranked and host Oregon State 6-4 on national television, shocking the college baseball world and making a statement that would change the trajectory of the program for years to come.
Valenzuela and his 2026 squad are battle tested and ready for more history as they will look for another signature win over number one overall seed UCLA Friday afternoon and a chance to advance to their first Super Regional in program history.
WCC All-Tournament Team; Ian Armstrong Named Most Outstanding Player…
Saint Mary's had four players selected to the All-Tournament team including the tournament's Most Outstanding Player in sophomore catcher Ian Armstrong. Armstrong tied the team lead with eleven hits and led the Gaels with two homers and seven RBI as he continues to represent one of the most talented catchers in the sophomore class across the country. Armstrong finished the regular season with a .358 batting average and led the WCC with 15 home runs for a new career high, more than doubling his total from his 2025 freshman campaign.
Tanner Griffith, Diego Castellanos, John Damozonio and Lukas Sarantos were the other four Gaels named to the All-Tournament team. Griffith has had a breakout season as a true junior and continued his tear into Scottsdale, tying the team lead with eleven hits and four doubles as the Livermore native was a menace out of the leadoff spot all week long. Castellanos hit .400 from the plate over his four games and had arguably the biggest play of the tournament, throwing out a runner at the plate in the eighth inning of the championship game to preserve a 5-4 lead over USF. Not to mention, Castellanos is riding a current 35-game hit streak and is just one game shy of tying the WCC record of 36 games set back in 2014.
In 2025, the Gaels seemed to slug their way to the title but this year they had several standout pitching performances to claim their second consecutive tournament title. Senior right hander John Damozonio missed his final two starts of the regular season only to return for the tournament opener and deal six innings allowing a season low two hits and a pair of unearned runs. The Gaels got their ace off the hook with a nine-run eighth inning to win and advance. Lukas Sarantos is another talented sophomore for the Gaels from last year's squad and made two appearances on the week, closing out game one against Pepperdine with three scoreless innings to earn the win before getting the start in the championship game and powering through six innings in a herculean performance. Sarantos got credit for the win in that game as well to finish the week 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA.
NCAA Regional History…
Saint Mary's is a combined 1-4 in its two NCAA Regional appearances. The Gaels went 0-2 in the 2016 Raleigh Regional hosted by NC State. The roster included program greats Corbin Burnes and Tony Gonsolin with Burnes starting the opener for Saint Mary's. Coastal Carolina would come out of that region and memorably go on to win the College World Series that season.
The Gaels returned to the national stage nine seasons later under Valenzuela, earning the four-seed in the Corvallis Regional in 2025. Saint Mary's would make history this time around, knocking off eighth-ranked Oregon State 6-4 on opening night of the regional for their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history. The Gaels have made a regional, won an NCAA Tournament game, and will now chase their next goal of winning a regional and advancing to supers where no Saint Mary's baseball team has gone before.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (51-6, 28-2 Big Ten)
UCLA became the first team in college baseball history to go wire-to-wire as the number one team in the nation, entering the regional with a 51-6 record. The Bruins swept both the Big Ten Regular Season and Conference Tournament championships to stand as the unanimous number one overall seed and were the first team to 50 wins during the 2026 season.
The Bruins boast one of the top prospects in the country in junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky. Cholowsky enters the regional with a .328 batting average and a team high 21 home runs to bolster their offense. Aside from the talented middle infielder, UCLA owns the best ERA in the country with a staff earned run average of 3.27. USD transfer Logan Reddemann leads the staff with a team high eight wins backed by a 2.87 ERA but has not pitched since April 17 due to injury. Outside of the starting rotation, head coach John Savage boasts a talented bullpen featuring Easton Hawk and Cal Randall who each have 31 appearances and sub 3.20 ERA's. Hawk is one of the best closers in the country sitting in second in all of Division I with 14 saves.
Saint Mary's will take on the top ranked team in the country for just the fifth time in program history on Friday. The Gaels dropped a three-game series to number one Miami back in 2008 and then lost a midweek to top ranked Oregon State in 2017, 4-3. Friday's Los Angeles Regional opener will be streamed live on ESPN2.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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