HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i baseball team (27-23, 9-14 BWC) made a valiant late-inning comeback befitting of Senior Weekend to split the UC Santa Barbara (24-31, 8-15 BWC) on Friday night at Les Murakami Stadium, stringing together three runs across two frames for the 3-2 victory, snapping a six-game losing skid.
 
Early Gaucho scores again plagued the 'Bows, as UC Santa Barbara made the most of two consecutive UH error plays in the third, as a pair of runs crossed the plate on a Armani Smith RBI single.
 
Resettling with a deficit, UH starter Neil Uskali engaged UCSB's Kyle Nelson in a pitcher's duel that outlasted both starting hurlers. Uskali would go 7.0 innings with two unearned runs on four hits, striking out three.
 
As Josh Rojas recovered from an errant foul tip, the senior third baseman led off with a double down the right field line and reached third on a balk in the seventh. Nelson gave way to Barry Shea, who ran into an inspired Rainbow Warriors attack. Rojas seized on a no-outs situation, scoring on a Johnny Weeks RBI groundout to trim the deficit to a single run.
 
Closing in on a rally, senior right-hander Casey took over for Uskali on the bump, keeping the Gauchos off the board with a single hit.
 
Coming back heavy, freshman first baseman Adam Fogel sparked the 'Bows with a one-out single pinged off the pitcher, and seniors Alex Fitchett and Marcus Doi each followed up with a pair of walks to load the bases, prompting the Gauchos to pull E Chandler from the bullpen.
 
After nearly bagging a grand slam which went just foul, freshman pinch hitter Logan Pouelsen settled for the tie run on a sacrifice fly. Things came full circle as Rojas put the icing on the cake with an RBI single fired into right field, pushing the 'Bows ahead 3-2 as Fitchett cross the plate.
 
Taking over for Ryan, right-handed redshirt freshman Dylan Thomas came out dealing to knock down the Gauchos in short order for his eighth save – the most for UH since 2011. Ryan (2-0) picked up the win.
 
For the Gauchos, Barry (1-2) took the loss, throwing 1.1 innings with two runs on two walks and a hit.
 
Rojas paced the 'Bows, hitting 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI, while Fogel also hit 2-for-4, scoring one run as well.
 
The Rainbow Warriors and Gauchos return to action in Saturday's rubber match and season finale for both teams. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium and the Senior Night Ceremony for seven Hawai'i seniors will follow the game.