The Cal Poly baseball team held off Hawaii, 3-2, today at Baggett Stadium in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

By winning the first two of this three-game series, the Mustangs improved to 22-21 overall and 12-2 in the Big West. The Rainbow Warriors dropped to 19-24 and 7-10. The series finale begins at 10 a.m. on Sunday.

The score was tied at 2 in the fifth when first baseman Tate Samuelson drew a two-out walk from UH starting pitcher Aaron Davenport. Samuelson advanced to second on Conagher Sands’ single. Then Nick DiCarlo hit a towering fly that appeared to be lost in the sun’s glare and fell between left fielder Daylen Calicdan and shortstop Ethan Lopez. Samuelson scooted home with the go-ahead run. Sands was thrown out in front of the plate, but the Mustangs secured a lead they would not relinquish.

The ‘Bows had the potential tying run in scoring position in the ninth. Brennen Hancock singled to open the inning. Pinch runner Jacob Sniffin replaced Hancock. Sniffin went to second on Scotty Scott’s sacrifice. After Tyler Best flied out to right field for the second out, Maaki Yamazaki was intentionally walked. But Michael Clark induced Lopez to fly out to left for his second save in as many days.