Hawaii’s baseball season likely over after loss to Cal Poly in BWC tourney

FULLERTON, CALIF. >> The Hawaii baseball team’s “Manoa Magic” reached its expiration date.

Cal Poly made the most of its four hits in today’s 2-1 victory to eliminate Hawaii from the Big West Championship tournament at Goodwin Field in Fullerton. The Rainbow Warriors dropped to 35-21 record.

After losing to top-seeded UC Irvine in Thursday’s opening round of the double-elimination segment, the ’Bows needed to win the next four to win the tournament and earn the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA Regionals. The ’Bows ousted Cal State Fullerton on Friday to set up today’s win-or-go-home showdown against No. 2 Cal Poly.

The ’Bows opened with three consecutive hits, including Ben Zeigler-Namoa’s run-scoring double in the first inning. They eventually loaded the bases with no outs against left-hander Luke Kovach, who was making his third start after rehabbing for 16 months because of an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. But Kovach struck out Jared Quandt and Kamana Nahaku before inducing Shunsuke Sakaino to ground out to end the inning.

The ’Bows would not score again against Kovach, who exited after the second inning; Josh Morano, who pitched 6 1/3 innings, and Jake Torres got the final two outs, stranding UH runners on second and third in the top of the ninth.

UH’s right-handed pitcher Freddy Rodriguez made his second start of the season, allowing a sacrifice fly and a 70-foot RBI single in the fourth inning. Rodriguez, who transferred from Cal Poly last summer, relinquished three hits in six innings.

The ’Bows are scheduled to remain in Orange County until Monday’s NCAA selection show, although it appears their season has ended.

“Slim and none,” UH coach Rich Hill, said Saturday of the Rainbows’ chances of receiving an NCAA berth. “It’s like Jim Carrey in ‘Dumb and Dumber.’ One in a million. ‘So you’re saying there’s a chance?’ I guess there’s always a chance.”