The University of Hawaii baseball team could not catch a break nor catch 14th-ranked Cal State Fullerton in a 6-2 loss Sunday at Les Murakami Stadium.

A crowd of 1,746 saw the ’Bows lose the rubber match of this three-game series, drop to 25-17 overall and 7-8 in the Big West, and squander a chance to clinch a winning regular season.

“It was a strange game,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said. “It was a game of strange plays, with all, unfortunately, going against us.”

Trailing 3-1 in the third inning, the ’Bows filled the bases with one out. Adam Fogel, who hit a solo homer an inning earlier, drove a ball toward the right side. Outfielder Hunter Cullen raced across the line into foul territory, appeared to catch the ball and then ran into the wall. The ball squirted from Cullen’s glove as Dustin Demeter and Kekai Rios tagged up and sprinted home from third and second, respectively.

First base umpire Jason Kaminsky extended his arms to his sides, appearing to make the safe signal. He actually motioned the foul fly was not caught — a football ref’s incomplete-pass signal — and the runners returned to their bases and Fogel to the plate.

While it appeared Cullen had possession for a second, Trapasso said, “This isn’t football. You have different rules. The rule states for an outfielder, you have to have complete control of your body and the baseball at transfer, and (Cullen) really wasn’t. (The umpire) is right, unfortunately.”

Fogel then hit a sharp grounder that third baseman Taylor Bryant turned into an around-the-horn double play to end the inning.

“I had to refocus, and ended up putting a good (at-bat) together and hitting the ball hard,” Fogel said, “just not in the right spot.”

In the sixth, UH’s Eric Ramirez singled and then tried to advance to third on Johnny Weeks’ hit to right. But Ramirez fell and was tagged out between second and third. “So that’s first and third in a great situation, and we come away with nothing there,” Trapasso said. The next two batters walked to load the bases, but UH failed to score. Coupled with the dropped flyout, “there are three runs you take off the board.”

Trapasso said Ramirez’s “knee just went out on him,” but was not sure of his status. Ramirez said he “just slipped” and that he was “fine.” Logan Pouelsen replaced Ramirez at first in the top of the seventh.

The ’Bows stranded 10 runners, including six in scoring position. Josh Rojas also hit a solo homer for the ’Bows.

“I’ll take our 10 hits,” Trapasso said. “We went up there. We had opportunities. They beat us. They were better than us today. And we wish them luck the rest of the way.”

Zach Weller drove in two runs, including one on a homer to open the eighth, and Hank LoForte added two RBIs. The Titans chased Neil Uskali, who allowed six hits and four runs (three earned) in 22⁄3 innings.

“He was over-amped,” Trapasso said of Uskali. “He was trying to throw everything 100 miles an hour. And, for him, that takes away any ability to get guys out. When he doesn’t stay within himself, he loses all effectiveness in pitch-ability. It’s frustrating because he’s got to know better than that. But he’s been really good for us. He just picked a bad day to be bad.”

Dominic DeMiero, who was bumped from two starts in the rotation because of arm tenderness, pitched 51⁄3 innings of relief, allowing two runs. “That was good to see him out there,” Trapasso said, noting DeMiero remains “in the equation” for a starting spot.

Trapasso said he will assess the matchups before setting the three-man rotation for this week’s series against UC Irvine.