The University of Hawaii baseball team’s quest to improve on its road success fell short in Riverside, Calif.

David Martin, Harrison Spohn and Josh Paino each had three hits to lift California Baptist to Monday’s 6-4 victory at Tortman Stadium.

“The team that deserved to win the game won the game,” said UH coach Rich Hill, whose Rainbow Warriors fell to 27-22. The Lancers, who compete in the Western Athletic Conference, are 33-20.

The interconference outcome ended the ’Bows’ five-game winning streak. The ’Bows went 3-1 on this road trip. Their 14-9 road record is their best since 2011, when they went 9-8. This season, the ’Bows are 12-12 at Les Murakami Stadium.

With the spring semester concluding a week ago, the ’Bows decided to remain on the road an extra two days following Sunday’s completion of a series sweep against UC San Diego. But while the extra game added to their schedule, it also left the ’Bows with fewer available pitchers. Andy Archer (who started on Sunday), Cade Halemanu, Blaze Koali‘i Pontes, Dalton Renne and Buddie Pindel were not not available to pitch against CBU. Hill said Tai Atkins would have been used only if the game were tied or UH had the lead in the ninth.

UH starting pitcher Cameron Hagan exited after Russell Stevenson belted a solo homer to open the third inning and extend the Lancers’ lead to 5-0.

The ’Bows scored three runs in the fourth on Matt Wong’s two-run double and Bronson Rivera’s run-scoring double. In the sixth, the ’Bows cut the deficit to 5-4 on Kyson Donahue’s home run, his second in as many days.

But the Lancers added an insurance run when Spohn grounded into a bases-loaded double play in the bottom of the sixth.

CJ Culpepper, making his first relief appearance after 14 starts this season, struck out the side in the ninth for the save.

“We had that available list,” Hill said. “It was going to be one of those mid-week games where Hagan, (Cory) Ronan, (Junior) Flores, (Connor) Harrison and (Tyler) Dyball would need to step up, and our offense was going to have to score some runs.”

Ronan and Harrison combined to pitch four scoreless innings. Dyball, in only his third appearance of the season, surrendered CBU’s sixth-inning run.

Flores, a freshman, was summoned with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth. He induced Chad Castillo, the Lancers’ best hitter, to ground out to short.

“That was great to see from him, especially when he fell behind 1-0 and then 2-1,” Hill said of Flores. “He really showed some mental toughness there, pounding the zone, and getting that ground ball.”

Hill said there were some missed opportunities. Paino, the shortstop, broke to cover second on a steal attempt, then reached back to snag Jordan Donahue’s liner toward the six hole.

“It was a game of inches today,” Hill said. “Jordan Donahue lined out when the shortstop crossed over and made a great play. Otherwise it’s second and third and no outs.”

Hill said center fielder Cole Cabrera, who left the game after a pitch struck his left elbow, should be ready for Thursday’s series opener against Cal Poly. Cabrera transferred from Cal Poly last summer.

“He’ll be all right,” Hill said. “He got beaned in the elbow. It kind of swelled up. But he was moving around pretty good after the game.”