By STEPHEN TSAI Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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The Hawaii baseball team called in back-up help to defeat Cal State Fullerton 10-2 on Sunday at Goodwin Field in Fullerton, Calif.

Before a crowd of 686, the Rainbow Warriors received a boost from a reserve outfielder and three relievers to win two of three against the Big West’s hottest team. The Titans entered the weekend as winner of 16 of 19 games.

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“It’s an endeavor going to Goodwin Field,” UH coach Rich Hill said. “I’ve been coming here for 25 years. A lot of stories, a lot of trauma, a lot of high fives. I’m glad we’re only going here one more time.”

Next year’s series between UH and CSUF will be played in Honolulu. But the ’Bows, who are leaving the Big West after the 2026 season, could earn a return trip to Goodwin Field in nine days if they qualify for the five-team Big West Tournament. CSUF is the tournament host.

The ’Bows improved to 31-18 overall and 14-13 in the Big West to move into a fourth-place tie with UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego with a week remaining in the regular season. The ’Bows could earn a tournament berth if they win at least two against UCSD this week at Les Murakami Stadium. There also is a possibility the ’Bows could earn the No. 3 seed if they sweep UCSD, and UC Irvine wins three against Cal State Fullerton.

“This is winner-take-all (week),” Hill said. “You couldn’t ask for anything better for our great fans of Hawaii. We need to sell things out.”

On Sunday, outfielders Kamana Nahaku and Matthew Miura each went 3-for-4 to spark the ’Bows’ 15-hit attack. For the first time in 28 games, Nahaku was not in the starting lineup. He entered as a pinch-hitter in the fourth inning ,

“He’s been scuffling a little bit,” Hill said of Nahaku, who was 5-for-31 with two RBIs and no home runs in the previous nine games. “Sometimes that really helps a player to sit on the bench and watch teammates and just realize how simple the game is. Usually when guys are in any kind of tough situation, it just means they’re trying to do too much instead of keeping the concentration on the small things.”

Miura scored the game’s first run, racing home from third when Andrew Kirchner could not handle Chris Hernandez’s pick-off attempt at first. Ben Zeigler-Namoa’s ensuing RBI single staked UH to a 2-0 lead in the first.

Nahaku’s pinch-hit homer and Miura’s two-run triple were the highlights of the ’Bows’ four-run fourth inning.

UH’s hope was starting pitcher Cooper Walls would go several innings. But Walls exited with two outs in the third inning, three batters after a line drive struck his left calf. Relievers Liam O’Brien, Freddy Rodriguez and Isaiah Magdaleno allowed one run over the next 6 1/3 innings.

After Walls walked to the dugout, O’Brien was given extra warm-up pitches. One of those ptiches touched 97 mph.

“Liam just had electric stuff,” Hill said.

O’Brien allowed four walks, hit Kirchner with a pitch, and unleashed four wild pitches. But he struck out six and did not allow a run in 3 1/3 innings to improve to 4-2. “Liam O’Brien, in my mind, was the story of the game, along with Kamana and Matt.”

A month ago, O’Brien was pulled after walking the first four Cal Poly batters. In four appearance since then, O’Brien has allowed five hits in 13 scoreless innings.

“He’s been free and easy, and in a great state of mind,” Hill said of O’Brien.

The Titans stranded 14 runners, leaving the bases loaded in the sixth and seventh innings. After Kirchner’s single to lead off the ninth, Magdaleno struck out the next three Titans to end the game.