Rainbows head home down 2 pitchers

Hawaii’s title hopes weren’t the only thing to take a hit on the road.

The Rainbows will also be down two pitchers for their final series of the regular season against Nevada starting Thursday at Les Murakami Stadium.

Senior right-hander Matt Sisto won’t pitch against the Wolf Pack with a groin injury and freshman reliever David Longville was suspended four games after he was ejected from Sunday’s loss to Sacramento State for hitting a batter.

Longville missed Monday’s 6-3 loss to UC Davis at Dobbins Stadium in Davis, Calif., as Hawaii finished winless on a road trip for the second time this season.

The Rainbows (28-22, 8-7 Western Athletic Conference) were held under four runs for the third straight game.

Conversely, UH allowed at least six runs for the fourth straight game, using five different pitchers against UC Davis (21-27), which lost three of four at UH earlier this year.

"I feel like this whole trip is on me," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said in a phone interview. "We didn’t play like we were competing for a conference championship … and I feel bad I couldn’t get our guys to play better."

Freshman Kyle Dowdy (2-3) allowed three runs on four hits in two innings to take the loss, which gave Hawaii its second four-game losing streak this season.

The Rainbows limped into Monday’s outing after a three-game sweep at the hands of Sacramento State, ending any hopes of a possible at-large selection to the NCAA tournament in two weeks.

Of bigger consequence, Hawaii dropped from sole possession of first place to a tie for third in the WAC and needs a sweep of the Wolf Pack to earn a share of the regular-season crown.

The Rainbows can’t receive the No. 1 seed in the WAC tournament, which begins a week from Wednesday in Mesa, Ariz., but can still earn the No. 2 seed and the first-round bye that comes with it.

The bye is an even bigger issue now that the Rainbows are dealing with the potential loss of Sisto, who originally suffered the injury two weeks ago. He made it worse while pitching Friday against the Hornets.

The senior right-hander is a career-best 8-3 this year with a 3.03 ERA in 89 innings.

"We need him healthy for the tournament and it’s just going to keep getting worse if we keep sending him out there," Trapasso said. "When you have things with your lower body you make adjustments for the pain, and that’s when you are hurting your arm."

Longville, who is 2-2 with a 3.69 ERA in 461⁄3 innings, is serving a four-game suspension, which is automatic with an ejection for intentionally throwing at an opposing hitter.

Junior Jon Flinn, who could start against Nevada with Sisto out, allowed one run on three hits in four innings on Monday.

After trailing 4-1, UH pulled within a run at 4-3 on an RBI groundout by Collin Bennett, who recorded his 99th career RBI.

The Aggies answered with two RBI singles off reliever Jesse Moore in the bottom of the seventh for the final margin.

Zack Swasey went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Bennett doubled and reached base three times, scoring a run.

Hawaii will honor eight seniors after its regular-season finale Saturday night at 6:35. Right-hander Connor Little, who missed the entire season following ankle surgery, is redshirting and will be back next year.

Redshirt junior Matt Harrison, who appeared in three games this season and isn’t on the travel roster, participated in graduating ceremonies over the weekend and has already left the team.