The Washington Huskies came agonizingly close to pulling off a second straight upset over the No. 1 UCLA Bruins, but a heartbreaking 6-5 loss on Friday night saw victory slip through their fingers in the most dramatic fashion—with two outs and two strikes in the ninth inning.

For most of the game, the Huskies looked poised to add another marquee win to their resume. They carried a 5-2 lead into the eighth inning, and after retiring the first two batters quickly, the path to victory seemed clear. But baseball can be a cruel game. Pitcher Jack Wade lost his command, walking three consecutive batters before being pulled for Bryce Johnson. Johnson managed to escape the inning, but not before allowing two inherited runners to score on a single by UCLA left fielder Jarrod Hocking, cutting the lead to 5-4.

The ninth inning brought even more heartbreak. With two outs, Johnson appeared to seal the win when he got UCLA center fielder Will Gasparino to ground to shortstop. But an error by Sam DeCarlo extended the inning, giving the Bruins new life. Catcher Cashel Dugger made the Huskies pay immediately, crushing a two-run double to give UCLA its first lead of the series at 6-5. Washington mounted a final rally, putting two runners on in the bottom of the ninth, but catcher Ethan Swidler watched a third strike go by to end the game.

Johnson took the loss, falling to 0-4 on the season after working 1 1/3 innings, allowing two unearned runs on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Starter Noah Kenney lasted just three innings, giving up one hit and three walks while striking out two.

The loss overshadowed another standout performance from left fielder Jackson Hotchkiss, a projected 2027 first-round pick who launched his 19th home run of the year—a two-run blast that traveled 402 feet at 106 MPH—as part of a 2-for-4 night with a walk. First baseman Casen Taggart added a two-run triple in the third inning, and center fielder Mic Paul went 1-for-2 with three walks, an RBI, and a run scored.

For UCLA, Cal Randall earned the win with 1 2/3 innings of one-hit relief, striking out three before handing the ball to Easton Hawk, one of the nation's top closers. Hawk walked two and struck out two to earn his 14th save of the season.

For the Huskies, it was a painful reminder that in baseball, the game isn't over until the final out—and sometimes, not even then.