Day 3 of the 2026 NCAA baseball tournament didn't disappoint, gifting the college baseball world with walk-offs, extra-inning thrillers, jaw-dropping upsets and more.
By the end of the night, three national seeds had been eliminated, including the top dog in No. 1 UCLA, and a four seed had joined a historic club.
Check the biggest talking points from Sunday.
No. 1 national seed UCLA eliminated on a walk-off
Walk-offs and comeback wins have been No. 1 UCLA’s calling card all season; there’s been no better team with their back against the wall.
They lead all of DI in come-from-behind victories at 30, with Saturday’s exhilarating 6-5 walk-off win the most recent example.
But the Bruins found themselves on the other side of history on Sunday, getting upset by Saint Mary’s, 6-5, on a walk-off single in extra innings, eliminating them from the NCAA tournament. They become the second No. 1 national seed ever to not make it to a regional final — the fifth to not make the super regionals since the current format was implemented in 1999.
UCLA rode a 5-4 lead into the ninth, and was just one out away from the regional final before Gaels’ Ian Armstrong hit a high-bouncing single just over Mulivai Levu’s glove into the outfield to tie the game.
The Bruins couldn’t retake the lead in the top of the 10th, leaving the door open for Saint Mary’s to win it, and they did. With runners on first and second with two outs, Makoa Sniffen ripped a single past a diving Roman Martin at third base and into left field. Cody Kashimoto raced around third and slid headfirst into home plate to end the No. 1 national seed’s season.
UCLA entered the game with 78 straight wins when leading after the 8th inning.
Makoa Sniffen walks it off in the 10th and the Gaels move on! 🔥 |
— West Coast Conference (@WCCsports)
Little Rock becomes 11th No. 4 seed to reach super regionals
More magic transpired across the country later into the night, featuring another No. 4 seed.
Little Rock walked out of the Hattiesburg Regional warzone unscathed and victorious, going 3-0 to reach its first-ever super regional in program history.
The Trojans initially turned heads after shocking No. 9 Southern Miss, 7-4, in the regional opener, and doubled down on their legitimacy less than 24 hours later in their 8-6 win over three-seed Jacksonville State.
History has favored four seeds that have gone 2-0 in regional play — eight of the previous 11 have gone to the supers — a good sign for Little Rock entering its rematch on Sunday with the Gamecocks.
And the good luck charm paid off. Little Rock raced out to a 3-0 lead and never looked back, staying ahead of the Gamecocks by a few strides consistently, tacking on runs whenever Jacksonville State did.
They will face the winner of the Gainesville Regional, which will be decided in No. 8 Florida and Troy’s winner-take-all duel on Monday.
Other notable news:
No. 16 West Virginia mounts five-run ninth to save season
No. 16 West Virginia’s comeback window was closing while facing elimination against Kentucky, playing catch for most of the affair’s back half to the Wildcats.
They lost their lead in the fourth and found themselves trailing 9-6, just three outs away from their season ending.
But through a ninth-inning surge, the Mountaineers pried that window back open fully to beat the Wildcats, making NCAA tournament history en route to an 11-9 win over Kentucky and forcing a Game 7 on Monday.
WVU started the final frame by loading the bases with zero outs, eventually tying the game after Kentucky pitcher Oliver Boone’s balk brought in a run. And a pitch later, Paul Schoenfeld sent Wagener Field into a frenzy, blasting a go-ahead two-run homer to right, capping off a five-run frame. They slammed the door in the bottom of the ninth.
Dom Decker hits walk-off to send Ole Miss to supers
Dom Decker was a catalyst in four seed Murray State’s first-ever super regional and Men’s College World Series run in the 2025 NCAA tournament, a story for the ages in college baseball and mid-majors.
A year later, the junior lifted Ole Miss to its first supers since 2022 through an extra-inning, walk-off sacrifice fly to beat Arizona State, 5-4.
The Rebels and Sun Devils didn’t give each other an inch of separation in both meetings — the first was a 14-inning marathon on Friday. Today, neither team led by more than one run for more than an inning. Ole Miss broke through in the 10th, getting runners on first and third with one out before Decker won it with the sac fly to left.
They will play the winner of the Auburn Regional between No. 4 Auburn and Milwaukee next weekend.
2025 Men’s College World Series field eliminated
No. 1 UCLA, Arkansas and Oregon State’s regional losses have left zero teams from the 2025 Men's College World Series field in this year's NCAA tournament.
It is the first time that the entire MCWS field from the previous year didn't make it past the regionals.
Here's a look at how each team fared:
- LSU: Missed the NCAA tournament
- Coastal Carolina: 0-2 in the Tallahassee Regional
- Louisville: Missed the NCAA tournament
- Arkansas: 2-2 in the Lawrence Regional
- UCLA: 1-2 in the Los Angeles Regional
- Oregon State: 2-2 in the Eugene Regional
- Murray State: Missed the NCAA tournament
- Arizona: Missed the NCAA tournament
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.
