MESA, Ariz. » Hawaii played like it couldn’t get out of the Western Athletic Conference fast enough.
UH’s 33-year run in the league ended with an abrupt exit from the WAC baseball tournament on Thursday. The Rainbows were the first team eliminated, following a 9-6 loss to Louisiana Tech at Hohokam Stadium.
Hawaii’s postseason experience lasted less than 24 hours, its pitching staff wilting in the desert heat that reached triple digits both days.
The league’s leader in team ERA coming in was tagged for 17 runs over two games. Four errors on top of that contributed to a disappointing end to a season that had so much promise just a few weeks ago.
"The disappointing thing about our play this weekend is pitching and defense carried us the entire season and that’s where we didn’t get it done," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "We can handle losing, even going two and out if we play well, but it’s not fun when you don’t play well, especially in the areas where you have all year."
Since the WAC reinstated a conference tournament in 2006, UH had never lost its only two games of the tournament.
The Rainbows seemed destined for better things just three weeks ago when they were 8-4 and in sole possession of first place in the WAC.
Instead, Hawaii went 2-7 over its final nine games to finish five games over .500 at 30-25.
It’s the lowest win total since UH finished 29-31 in 2008.
"I think we never really got acclimated to playing on the road and that really showed up at the end," second baseman Stephen Ventimilia said. "We had a 26-12 record at home, which is great, but our record on the road was atrocious and that’s something as young players we have to work on in the (coming) years."
Not even Hohokam Stadium, which hosted some of UH’s best games over the past three seasons, could provide help for a team that finished 4-13 away from home.
Even after UH took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on hits by Ventimilia and Kaeo Aliviado, the Rainbows never seemed like they were ready to put away the Bulldogs (25-27).
Hawaii had runners on first and second with nobody out when Phil Maton recorded three straight infield popups on just five pitches to end the inning.
LaTech took control from there, battering Hawaii senior Matt Sisto for five runs on nine hits in two innings.
Sisto, who missed a start last week with a groin injury, had pitched at least five innings in every outing this year.
"It didn’t matter what it was or where it was, everything I threw just got hit hard," Sisto said. "I felt fine. It’s just one of those days that happens."
UH had been 4-0 in postseason games started by the right-hander, whose 55 career starts tied for the second most in school history.
He gave up a double to the first batter he faced and was tagged for three hits in the first, four in the second and two more without getting an out in the third before he was pulled.
"It was apparent early that Matt wasn’t himself," Trapasso said. "Matt doesn’t get hit like that … and you could just tell he wasn’t comfortable with his pitches."
Hawaii used five pitchers in the game and trailed 8-1 through four innings.
Zack Swasey’s RBI single scored Breland Almadova for UH’s second run in the sixth.
Pi‘ikea Kitamura hit a run-scoring double in the seventh and the Rainbows scored two more runs on a bases-loaded walk and a balk to cut the lead to 8-5.
Swasey flied out to right with runners on second and third to end the seventh and Kody Neel hit an RBI single off Scott Squier in the bottom of the inning to put the Bulldogs up 9-5.
Justin Gordey’s four hits were a career high as Louisiana Tech finished with 17 in the game.
Ventimilia went 2-for-5 with a double and three runs scored and Aliviado was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.
Five of UH’s nine hits were doubles.
