SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Hawai'i baseball team fell behind early and couldn't climb back, dropping game two 12-5 at Cal Poly Saturday to even the series at a game apiece.
 
The Rainbow Warriors, who won Friday's series opener in extra innings, will still look to clinch the series win Sunday starting at 10 a.m. HT.
 
UH (24-9, 10-7 Big West) fell behind early as starter Liam O'Brien struggled to find the strike zone. O'Brien walked the first four batters he faced to force home the first run of the game to make Hawai'i go to its bullpen with no outs in the first. A sacrifice fly and a back-to-back two-out singles later in the frame made it 4-0, with all four free passes coming around to score.
 
UH chipped away with single runs in the second and third inning before Cal Poly got one back with a two-out double in the bottom of the third.
 
The Mustangs (24-9, 13-1 Big West) added a solo homer in the sixth and broke it open with five runs in the seventh while reliever Chris Downs entered with two outs in the fifth inning and retiring the first eight batters he faced on the way to throwing 3.1 innings to earn the win.
 
Sebastian Gonzalez delivered a gutsy effort out of the bullpen, entering with no outs in the first and proceeding to work the next six innings. Despite having his scoreless innings streak snapped at 18.0 innings, he kept the 'Bows in the game through the middle innings, striking out four while giving up three runs on seven hits.
 
Jared Quandt led the way offensively going 3-for-4 with a run scored while Hunter Faildo, Matthew Miura and Jordan Donahue each turned in two-hit games, with Faildo and Donahue driving in runs in the eighth inning.
 
The two teams will be back in action for the rubber match Sunday at 10 a.m. HT.