Adam Fogel’s big swing and reliever Matt Richardson’s mood swing carried the Hawaii baseball team to a 10-6 road victory over UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.

Fogel smacked a three-run homer to break a 5-all tie in the seventh, and Richardson limited the Gauchos to two hits and a run in the final 31⁄3 innings.

The Rainbow Warriors finished the season at 27-24 overall and 11-13 in the Big West. The Gauchos, who won the first two games of the series, ended at 27-28 and 10-14.

“It was a good win,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said in a telephone interview. “I felt it was important for us to win that last one. It allowed us to finish on a good note, even though it was a tough weekend. But I think it goes to the character of this team, with all the adversity, and the way that game ended (on Friday).”

After the ’Bows took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth on Friday, the Gauchos scored two in the bottom of the inning for a 6-5 victory.

“To come back (Saturday) and put up 10 runs, to get down early but keep battling away, it shows what these kids are made of,” Trapasso said. “Santa Barbara won the series, but we were able to finish ahead of them (in the standings). It was a good end to a tough weekend.”

Jackson Rees, who usually pitches the series opener, started on Saturday because his last appearance was six days earlier. But Rees struggled in 52⁄3 innings, allowing 13 hits and five runs. The Gauchos scored three runs in the first and led 4-2 after three innings.

“He was cutting the ball off,” Trapasso said of Rees’ accuracy. “He had a hard time commanding. And when he was in the zone, they hit him pretty good. You’ve got to give him a lot of credit to go as long as he did after that first inning. But that’s Jackson. Jackson is going to compete. I was happy for him that he didn’t exit early. He stayed the course and kept battling.”

The ’Bows trailed 5-4 in the seventh when Eric Ramirez reached on an error and, one out later, advanced to second on Dylan Vchulek’s single. Ramirez went to third on Maaki Yamazaki’s fielder’s choice grounder in which Vchulek was called out at second. Johnny Weeks’ single to left scored Ramirez with the tying run. Alex Patterson then entered as the Gauchos’ third pitcher of the game.

Fogel hit Patterson’s first pitch over the fence in left field for his eighth homer of the season. Fogel, who emerged from a midseason slump, hit .348 the past six games. He finished with a .296 batting average, and team highs in homers, doubles (17), triples (2), RBIs (37) and total bases (103).

“Guys are going to have their ups and downs,” Trapasso said. “I think (Fogel) swung the bat well the past couple weeks. It was a positive thing for him to finish strong.”

Trapasso also needed a strong finish from right-handed Richardson against a mostly right-swinging lineup. Dylan Thomas, the closer, and Logan Pouelsen were unavailable after extensive work on Friday.

With a runner on third in the seventh, Trapasso gave Richardson a pep talk peppered with tough language. Richardson induced the next two outs to end the inning. After Richardson relinquished consecutive singles to open the ninth, Trapasso visited the mound.

Trapasso recalled saying: “You want me to take you out? Let me know.”

A run scored when the ’Bows turned a double play. Then Richardson coaxed Drew Williams to fly out to left to end the game and season.

Trapasso said his chats with Richardson were “designed to get under his skin, and it did. It pissed him off, and he pitched really well. I told him I loved him after the game, so we’re good. He was really good. He really was.”