HONOLULU – Then Hawai'i baseball team had its bats kept off balance in a 3-2 defeat before a sold-out Les Murakami Stadium crowd Saturday to even the series with Long Beach State.
 
After entering in a one-run game in the fourth, Dirtbags reliever Albert Roblez went on shut out the Rainbow Warriors over 5.1 innings striking out eight and walking just two to earn the win.
 
UH, which entered the game having scored nine or more runs in each of the last six games, was held to just two runs on four hits while striking out eight times.
 
Jared Quandt put the Rainbow Warriors on the board first with a two-out solo shot down the right field line in the second, but the Dirtbags came back with three in the third to make it 3-1.
 
UH starter Liam O'Brien hit a batter and walked two before an RBI groundout tied it up. After another hit batter chased him from the game the Dirtbags added two more runs on a bases-loaded walk and sacrifice fly.
 
The Rainbow Warriors cut the deficit in half the next half inning when Ben Zeigler-Namoa ripped a ball off the wall in center that allowed Matthew Miura to score all the way from first to make it 3-2 in the third.
 
Hawai'i tried to put together a rally in the ninth, putting runners on first and second with one out but a strikeout and a groundout ended the game.
 
Saturday night's sell out marked the second in a row and sixth of the season, the most in a single-season since 2011 (six). It also ties the 2011 season for the most sold out crowds in a year since 1995.
 
The two teams conclude their series Sunday afternoon with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium.