UH baseball season comes to an end with loss to CS Fullerton

IRVINE, Calif. >> The Hawaii baseball team suffered from self-inflicted mistakes and missed scoring opportunities in a season-ending 5-1 loss to Cal State Fullerton in the play-in game of the Big West Tournament at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark on Wednesday.

Not even starting pitcher Isaiah Magdaleno, coming off a remarkable three-week run, could prevent the Rainbow Warriors from avoiding an early entry into the offseason. The ’Bows finished 27-23.

Magdaleno exited after hitting Fullerton’s Cam Burdick with a pitch with one out in the seventh and the score tied at 1-all.

Tsubasa Tomii was summoned. Nick Miller hit a grounder up the middle that just eluded the reach of shortstop Taylor Takata. Tomii then skipped a pitch that ricocheted past catcher Jake Redding. Burdick went to third while Miller remained at first.

Estaban Olazaba pushed a bunt down the first-base line. First baseman Josh Martin fielded the suicide squeeze as Burdick raced home for a 2-1 lead. The first base umpire ruled Martin missed the tag on Olazaba as Miller advanced to second. Replays appeared to show that Martin applied the tag and that Olazaba had veered out of the baseline. But the call stood without a video review, and Tomii was pulled.

Brody Martin-Grudzielanek entered, issued a walk to load the bases, and then also was replaced. Hekili Robello, who was scheduled to be Thursday’s starting pitcher if UH advanced, then unleashed a wild pitch to extend the Titans’ lead to 3-1.

In the top of the ninth, the ’Bows had a chance to keep it a two-run game. But a sure double-play grounder turned into a throwing error, eventually leading to two more Titan runs.

Mikiah Negrete, who shut out the ’Bows on two hits in March, pitched a six-hitter for his third complete game of the season.