By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

With confidence stoked by two straight victories last weekend against the seeded-second team in the NCAA tournament, the UTSA Roadrunners will open the Los Angeles Super Regional on Saturday night against the No. 15 UCLA Bruins.

The winner of the best-of-three format will advance to the Men’s College World Series next week. For the 47-win Roadrunners, it is their first trip to the super regional round in 34 years as a program.

They are a surprising team on a roll, having run away with the regular-season title in the American Athletic Conference at 23-4 after being picked to finish fourth.

Entering the first weekend of the tournament, they had never won an NCAA game in three previous trips (0-6) before winning three straight in the Austin Regional against power conference competition.

In Austin, they were seeded second in the four-team field and stormed to the crown behind most outstanding player James Taussig, clutch pitching and team defense.

After beating Kansas State 10-2 in the opener, they moved forward and eliminated host Texas by scores of 9-7 and 7-4.

Texas, ranked No. 1 in the nation for much of the season, took the tournament’s No. 2 overall seed into the regional after winning the regular-season title in the Southeastern Conference.

Now, the Roadrunners will try to take down the co-champions in the Big Ten.

Powered by Dick Howser Trophy finalist Roch Cholowski, UCLA shared first place in the newly-formed Big Ten with Oregon, and then swept through three games in the Los Angeles Regional, beating Fresno State, UC Irvine and Arizona State.

The Bruins rolled to regional title by outscoring opponents, 38-14.

Records

UTSA 47-13
UCLA 45-16

Schedule

NCAA Los Angeles Super Regional

(Best of three, at Jackie Robinson Stadium)
UTSA at UCLA, Saturday, 6 p.m.
UTSA at UCLA, Sunday, 2 p.m.
UTSA at UCLA, Monday, TBA (if necessary)

Drew Detlefsen update

Speaking with the media Friday, UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said he didn’t know whether Drew Detlefsen, the team’s home run and RBI leader, would play.

Detlefsen tweaked a hamstring while chasing down a ball in foul territory last Saturday against Texas and had to come out of the game. He did not play Sunday. The UTSA leftfielder has been getting treatment and hitting but has not been running full speed.

The coach said Detlefsen has been hitting well in practice, which is a good sign. At the same time, Hallmark said he has “capable people” to use in his place if he can’t play.

Pitching questions

Senior Zach Royse started and won the opener of the Austin Regional against Kansas State, pitching five and a third innings and allowing only one run on three hits. But Hallmark said he wasn’t ready to name bis starter for the opener in the super regional.

He said he doesn’t know who will start for UCLA, either, though he said the Bruins have started Ian May on the first night of weekend series in the second half of the season. Hallmark said the rotation down the stretch of the season for UCLA was May, Zach Barnett and then Landon Stump.

Hallmark also said Wylan Moss is a possibility.

“He’s been hurt,” the coach said. “He’s back. Really good arm. Freshman … the arm’s really good, really talented. It’s the classic UCLA type big, big pro prospect. So, I wouldn’t be shocked if any one of those four start.”

The coach said UCLA used May out of the bullpen in the regional to give them a left-handed stopper late in the games.

A star at shortstop

Hallmark said UCLA sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowski “might be the best player in the country” and is a “phenomenal” talent,” one that could be taken with the first overall pick in the 2026 draft.

“The kid is a really good baseball player,” Hallmark said. “You’re not going to hold him down for three games.”

Cholowski usually bats second for the Bruins. Batting after him in the three hole is a productive left-side bat in Mulivai Levu.

“Big, physical left-handed hitter,” Hallmark said. “He’s got 85 RBI on the season. Part of it is because Roch’s on base all the time. But, that’s where they start, offensively … those two guys. They’re dangerous.”

Hallmark said UCLA is like UTSA in that they draw walks, they get hit by pitches and they don’t strike out.

As a result, Hallmark told his pitchers, “Be ready to feel like you’re pitching against your teammates. They’re not going to go away easily. They’re going to foul off some tough pitches. They’re going to hang around up there.”

Last team from Texas

UTSA is the last team from the state of Texas remaining in the NCAA baseball tournament. The Roadrunners eliminated the Texas Longhorns in the finals of the Austin Regional. Also in Austin, the Houston Christian Huskies went down with two straight losses. Dallas Baptist was eliminated in the semifinals of the Baton Rouge Regional. TCU lost two straight in the Corvallis Regional.