UTSA Stumbles in Super Regional Opener Against UCLA, Despite Mason Lytle's Hot Start

LOS ANGELES — On the second pitch of UTSA’s first super regional, Mason Lytle smashed a home run deep over the wall in left field, pausing to admire his handiwork before beginning his trot around the bases.

Even as they moved deeper into an NCAA championship tournament than any team in the history of UTSA athletics, the Roadrunners seemed confident and comfortable, aiming to continue the momentum after sweeping through the Austin regional last week.

But while the Roadrunners pitchers dashed around danger, the offense struggled to match Lytle’s pop, going the rest of the way without an extra-base hit.

No. 15 UCLA managed just enough offense while the pitching staff kept UTSA at bay, lifting the Bruins to a 5-2 win Saturday at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Game 1 of the Los Angeles super regional.

Game 2 in the best-of-three series is set for 2 p.m. Sunday.

“I want to win as much as the next guy, but I have no regrets in terms of UTSA personnel. Zero regrets,” coach Pat Hallmark said. “At some point, you just have to beat somebody or not, and today, we didn’t beat them. UCLA beat us. That’s part of baseball. It sucks. But that’s why I said, I tip my hat to them.”

Hallmark said UCLA starter Michael Barnett challenged the Roadrunners by throwing 49 of his 75 pitches for strikes, pounding the zone early to create advantageous counts. Barnett rolled through six innings allowing just two runs on six hits, and three relievers each pitched a scoreless frame.

UTSA finished with zero walks for just the fifth time this season, and the Roadrunners’ six hits matched the lowest total since March 21.

“Maybe there were some early in the count we could hit that we didn’t, but yeah, hitting is tough,” UTSA shortstop Ty Hodge said. “I don’t think we necessarily did anything bad or wrong, but when we had opportunities, we didn’t cash in. That's just baseball. That's the way it goes sometimes. We’ll come out tomorrow, come out swinging and ready to go.”

After Lytle’s blast, UTSA also pushed a run across in the second inning, with a pair of singles and a hit batter positioning Caden Miller to steal home. Miller began creeping down the line after a 2-1 pitch, and as UCLA’s catcher nonchalantly threw the ball back to the mound, Miller sprinted for the plate, comfortably beating the pitcher’s return throw.

READ MORE: UTSA aiming to do more with less in super regional against UCLA

But the Roadrunners struggled the rest of the way, reaching base just four times and going down in order through the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

“I don’t think there’s a lot of criticism at all for the way we hit,” Hallmark said. “Hitting is not that easy.”

The Bruins knotted the score at 2-2 in the third inning. After back-to-back one-out singles, Mulivai Levu doubled in a run, and Roman Martin tacked on an RBI groundout.

In the fourth inning, UCLA loaded the bases with one out but managed only a sacrifice fly for a 3-2 lead.

Roadrunners starter Zach Royse worked through five innings, scattering nine hits and three walks to finish with just three runs allowed. Hallmark credited Royse’s ability to work out of jams to a “smart” approach and the Roadrunners' game plan. Assistant coach Zach Butler called pitches from the dugout Saturday after UTSA’s pitchers and catchers managed the responsibility themselves for much of the season.

“We pitched really well,” Hallmark said. “I thought we pitched as good as we can pitch, based on who we’re playing.”

The Bruins opened 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position before finding some insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning against Roadrunners stopper Rob Orloski, as Martin knocked a two-run triple to right.

With UTSA’s season on the line in an elimination game Sunday, Orloski will likely be available again after throwing 47 pitches across 2 2/3 innings Saturday.

The Roadrunners remain two wins from the program’s first trip to the College World Series, needing to rebound Sunday and in a potential decider Monday.

“I don’t think it’s going to be hard to regroup. I’m sure the guys are locked and loaded already, will be fired up and ready to get back out there,” Lytle said. “Just continue to work, continue to get together as hitters and figure out a plan, come out tomorrow with a fire under us, and be ready to play the game.”