LONG BEACH, Calif. — Despite a strong combined performance from the pitching staff, the Hawai'i baseball team fell 2-1 to Long Beach State on Sunday afternoon at Blair Field.
 
The Rainbow Warriors (10-9, 1-5 Big West) out-hit the Dirtbags but were unable to cash in offensively, dropping two of three games on the weekend series.
 
Three Hawai'i arms held Long Beach State to just three hits while striking out 10. Liam O'Brien (1-2) took the tough-luck loss despite a solid outing, surrendering only two runs and one hit over four-plus innings. The bullpen duo of Brody Martin-Grudzielanek and John Alkire II was nearly perfect in relief, combining to throw four shutout innings to keep the 'Bows in the game.
 
The Rainbow Warrior bats were kept in check all game by Dirtbag starter Jason Gerfers. The freshman threw a complete game with seven strikeouts while scattering four hits and allowing just one run. UH scored its only run of the game in the fourth inning when Kamana Nahaku was hit by a pitch before coming in to score on shortstop Elijah Ickes' clutch two-out single into left field to drive him home and tie it up 1-1.
 
The deciding run for the Dirtbags came in the bottom of the fifth. After a leadoff walk and a double put runners on second and third, Matt Toomey lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Trevor Goldenetz. Hawai'i threatened in the later frames, including a two-hit performance from Ben Zeigler-Namoa, but the Dirtbags' defense tightened up as Hawai'i stranded a runner on base in three of the final four innings.
 
The Rainbow Warriors will remain on the road for a series at UC Santa Barbara starting Friday at 1:35 p.m. HT.