GAME 1: Fullerton 4, Hawaii 0

The eight seniors who will play their final home series this weekend against Cal State Fullerton do so knowing there’s still hope for the postseason.

Unlike the previous two years in the Big West, Hawaii has something to play for in its final home series. With UC Santa Barbara’s 10-5 win over UC Irvine earlier on Friday, a victory for the Rainbow Warriors in the opener against the Titans would move them into a four-way tie for first in the win column.

Lineups and in-game updates to follow below:

LINEUPS

Cal State Fullerton (28-22, 13-5)
Josh Vargas, LF (.351, 6 2B, 34 runs)
Tyler Stieb, CF (.314, 9 2B, 21 RBIs)
David Olmedo-Barrera, DH (.331, 5 2B, 5 3B, 6 HR, 36 RBIs)
Tanner Pinkston, 1B (.236, 4 2B, 12 RBIs)
Jerrod Bravo, 3B (.293, 4 2B, 2 3B, 18 RBIs)
Dalton Blaser, RF (.241, 5 2B, 4 runs)
Timmy Richards, SS (.264, 7 2B, 1 3B, 17 RBIs)
A.J. Kennedy, C (.170, 7 2B, 15 RBIs)
Taylor Bryant, 2B (.246, 1 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs)
RHP Thomas Eshelman (6-5, 1.78 ERA, 96 1/3 IP, 95 K)

Hawaii (21-26, 12-9)
Stephen Ventimilia, 2B (.248, 6 2b, 1 3b, 25 runs)
Alan Baldwin, RF (.264, 5 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 17 RBIs)
Kaeo Aliviado, CF (.246, 8 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 28 RBIs)
Alex Sawelson, DH (.286, 8 2B, 1 3B, 20 RBIs)
Eric Ramirez, 1B (.271, 4 2B, 29 RBIs)
Marcus Doi, LF (.242, 4 2B, 14 runs)
Chayce Ka’aua, C (.277, 9 2B, 21 runs)
Jonathan Weeks, 3B (.254, 1 2B, 1 3B, 8 runs)
Jacob Sheldon-Collins, SS (.297, 5 2B, 2 3B, 22 runs)
RHP L.J. Brewster (6-4, 2.92 ERA, 83 1/3 IP, 55 K)

TOP 1: Brewster starts off with a strikeout of Vargas but then loses Stieb to a walk. He falls behind 3-0 to Olmedo-Barrera, who swings away and drills an RBI double to left-center to bring in a run. 12-game hitting streak for Olmedo-Barrera. Titans really making Brewster work as Pinkston grounds out after eight pitches and Bravo works an eight-pitch walk. Brewster walks three in the inning but gets his second strikeout to end a 43-pitch first inning. Hawaii going to have to go to its bullpen early tonight.

BOT 1: Eshelman gives up a one-out single to Baldwin that drops in shallow center and a long fly ball by Aliviado caught at the warning track in right-center. Baldwin attempts to steal on an 0-2 pitch to Sawelson who swings and misses at a ball level with his head. Only three balls thrown by Eshelman in a 16-pitch inning.

Eshelman through three innings allowing two hits (Baldwin, Weeks). He has thrown 43 pitches, 36 for strikes, and hasn’t thrown two balls to a single UH batter yet.

Brewster has done an excellent job settling in. Nine of the last 10 retired through five innings but his pitch count is up to 94. He’s probably only got one more inning.

TOP 6: Brewster hits Bravo with the first pitch of the inning and then Blaser with the excuse-me double to shallow left to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Brewster gets the first out on a grounder to a drawn-in infield. Kennedy hits a grounder to Sheldon-Collins’ right. He throws home and Bravo beats the tag. Throw was high. Good throw would have nailed him. Brewster out after 5 2/3 innings at 107 pitches as Valencia comes in to face the lefty, Vargas, with runners on the corners. Vargas flies out to right. Brewster 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (two hit batters).

BOT 6: Tanner Pinkston smashes a double to center to drive in Olmedo-Barrera off Valencia, who is done. Von Ruden comes in and gives up a bloop single but doesn’t allow another run.

TOP 9: Alex Hatch in for the ninth and serves up an absolute BOMB to Olmedo-Barrera that is absolutely crushed over the fence in right-center. Might be the furthest ball I’ve seen hit since they changed the bats in 2011.

Eshelman finishes off five-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts to eliminate Hawaii from Big West title contention.