Did UCLA's Bullpen Utilization Factor Into CWS Demise?

One of the factors that powered UCLA's 48-win 2025 campaign and College World Series appearance was its bullpen all season.

Whether the offense took a few innings to wake up, or the starting arm gave up a few runs to start the game, the bullpen was always reliable throughout the season, and coach John Savage leaned on it.

The Bruins had 13 pitchers that appeared in at least 17 games all season, which was the most in the nation in Division-I baseball.

Many factors contributed to UCLA's hot postseason start and abrupt ending in Omaha; stalled out offense, a below-par postseason out of Big Ten Player of the Year Roch Cholowsky, at least for his standards, a game suspended due to rain and moved to the next morning which would be the same day as their elimination game if they lost.

All of that happened to the Bruins. But what if their bullpen simply flamed out after a season of constant usage?

Starting the postseason 6-0, UCLA's bullpen was mostly solid, but was overshadowed by a lineup that was firing on all cylinders from one through nine. But, when the offense cooled out, the pen's blemishes were uncovered.

In the regional round, against Fresno State, Arizona State and UC Irvine, the Bruins scored in bunches and early and the starting arms were mostly solid. They did, however, give up at least two runs after the fourth inning of each game.

The Los Angeles Super Regional against UTSA was different. All of UCLA's arms were on fire. And while the offense slowed down its pace from the prior round, it still scored 12 runs in two games.

In the first round of the College World Series against Murray State (yet another unranked opponent), UCLA continued its offensive trend, jumping out to a 6-0 lead through four innings.

Starting pitcher Michael Barnett pitched four shutout innings and didn't give up a run until the fifth, when he was taken out with two outs and runners on first and second.

He was then replaced by Wylan Moss who gave up a single on his second pitch and brought in Barnett's only earned run. in the following inning, Moss left a runner stranded before being replaced by Ian May, who let that runner cross home plate in two pitches, allowing a single and a sac fly.

August Souza was brought in to close out the seventh inning with two runners on, which he did, but then gave up two runs in the following frame. Freshman right-hander Easton Hawk was brought in to close out in the ninth.

Against LSU and Arkansas, UCLA allowed nine and seven runs. Savaged used eight different arms against the Tigers and seven against the Razorbacks, three of which played earlier that morning in the makeup game against LSU.

It's easy to be quick to judge Savage for his bullpen utilization. Not only were the Bruins on the brink of elimination, but they also played their only doubleheader of the season on Tuesday because of the suspension.

Nevertheless, UCLA has a very young squad that overperformed this season. They'll be back and, possibly, better next season.