HONOLULU – The Hawai'i baseball team dropped the opener of its season-long nine-game homestand in a 3-2 loss to CSU Bakersfield in game one of the series Friday at Les Murakami Stadium.
 
Bakersfield (11-16, 2-8 Big West) starter Ryan Verdugo kept the Rainbow bats at bay over his six innings of work to get the win, giving up just two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out five. CSUB then turned to Marcelo Saldana, who held the 'Bows without a hit and struck out five over the final three innings to earn the save.
 
The Roadrunners got on the board first, scoring three runs on three hits in the third. After a double, sacrifice bunt and walk put runners on the corners with one out, Matt Kurata started the scoring with a single to left field. James Bell made it 3-0 one batter later with a two-run double down the left field line.
 
The Rainbow Warriors (13-11, 3-4 Big West) used some small ball to break through in the sixth inning, cutting the CSUB lead to 3-2. After a single, hit by pitch and sacrifice bunt and error loaded the bases, the 'Bows got on the board when Jacob Igawa scored on a Jared Quandt RBI fielder's choice. The 'Bows added a run one batter later on a Naighel Ali'I Calderon squeeze bunt, pulling UH within a run.
 
Hawai'i got the tying run on in both the eighth and ninth inning, but couldn't cash in as the Rainbow Warriors finished the game 1-for-11 with runners on, leaving nine runners on base.
 
UH starting pitcher Harry Gustin turned in his second quality start of the year, working 6.1 innings and striking out seven while allowing three runs on six hits and walking three. In his last two starts at home, Gustin has struck out 15 batters over 13.1 innings while allowing just seven hits with an ERA of 2.70. Alex Giroux relived Gustin and kept CSUB off the board over the final 2.2 innings, striking out two.
 
The 'Bows and Roadrunners continue their series Friday with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch at Les Murakami Stadium.