Then-UC Irvine athletic director Dan Guerrero hired then-USC pitching coach John Savage in 2000 in an attempt to revitalize an Anteater baseball program that was dormant since 1992.

In his third season in Irvine, Savage helped the Anteaters to their first NCAA Division I tournament appearance. And soon enough, a familiar face came calling for a new job – and a $23,000 pay raise.

Guerrero, who had relocated by then to serve the same post at UCLA, hired Savage to replace Gary Adams – who retired after becoming the Bruins’ winningest coach through 30 seasons in Westwood.

In his 21st season with UCLA baseball (12-4, 2-1 Big Ten), Savage’s former team, UC Irvine (11-4, 2-1 Big West), will come to Jackie Robinson Stadium for a Tuesday affair – another peg in what the coach has dubbed the toughest midweek schedule in the nation.

“I love Irvine,” Savage said. “It’s very, very, very special to me and always will be. … I have a lot of fond memories of that place and certainly a lot of people that have been there and still there.”

Though the Anteaters have defeated the Bruins seven straight times since April 2022, Tuesday’s hosts could tilt the schools’ 23-year head-to-head record – which currently sits at 23-23 – in their favor.

“Revenge,” said sophomore third baseman Roman Martin. “When it comes to UCI, … this one’s a little special for us, especially coming back after losing so many times. I think we’re just excited to get after them.”

Despite throwing 36 pitches in Friday’s win over Maryland, Wylan Moss will make the start against UC Irvine. The freshman right-hander said he’s looking forward to the matchup after growing up near Irvine – and regularly watching Anteater ballgames – adding that he wants to bounce back after yielding two runs on four hits across two innings to Michigan March 4.

Moss’ counterpart will be Ryan Kysar. The Anteater right-hander owns a 2.70 ERA this season but has tossed just 10 innings across three appearances. However, in his latest start, Kysar tied a career high with seven strikeouts against San Diego after tossing four shutout frames.

UCI boasts three qualified batters with an OPS north of 1.000: outfielder Jacob McCombs, whose 1.398 leads the team, followed by shortstop Colin Yeaman and outfielder Chase Call – the older brother of UCLA sophomore second baseman Phoenix Call.

The Dugout Ward

Serving as the team’s infield and hitting coach, assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Bryant Ward is in his 10th season with the Bruins.

In previous seasons, Ward coached from the third-base line when the Bruins were at bat. But with Griffin Barnes promoted to assistant coach this past offseason, he took over as the team’s first base coach. Meanwhile, former first base coach and fellow assistant coach Niko Gallego shifted to third base duties, leaving Ward stationed in the Bruins’ dugout.

“He (Ward) just feels more connected to the players,” Savage said. “He can talk to them about approach a little bit more. He can talk to them a little bit post- or pre-at-bat – just a little more connection with the pieces in the lineup. It’s always good to have the guy that’s calling the offense close to the players.”

UCLA is slashing .281/.413/.437 this season compared to .264/.366/.393 last season, with five qualified hitters boasting an OPS above .800 in 2025 compared to just three such batters in 2024. To add, the Bruins averaged 5.17 runs per game last year and are scoring 9.31 runs per game so far this year.

Martin – who ended a 4-for-33 skid by going 6-for-11 over the weekend against the Terrapins – said Ward, alongside his father, were crucial in getting him back on track. Martin added that Ward has helped him improve his defense at third base after posting a .769 fielding percentage his freshman year. The sophomore has a .933 mark across 30 chances this season.

And when Moss got his first collegiate at-bat Friday, he said Ward was there for him in the dugout.

“I asked coach Ward what he wants me to do because (sophomore right-hander) Justin Lee got an at-bat last year and he told him, ‘Just stand in the very back of the box and not swing at all,’” Moss said. “So I was expecting him to say something similar, but he gave me a scouting report of the pitcher. Told me it was like a 90-mile-an-hour fastball and just go up there and hit. … It was 1-1. Just got a fastball down the middle and somehow just hit it. I don’t even know.”

With two outs in the top of the 10th, Moss’ single kept the inning alive and allowed Call to knock an RBI single to score the game-winning run.

Savage, Ward, Moss and Martin will square off against the Anteaters Tuesday, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.