SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. – The University of Hawai'i baseball team dropped the second game of a three-game series with UC Santa Barbara in an 8-3 defeat Saturday evening at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
 
The Rainbow Warriors (8-16, 2-6) have come up short in three consecutive series to Big West Conference and have lost three in a run. The Gauchos (18-6, 7-1) have claimed all three conference series this season and will have a chance at sweeping their second consecutive series of the three.
 
For the second straight day, sophomore shortstop Kyson Donahue kick-started the offense as he extended his streak to four games with a two-run single in the first to right field, giving UH an early 2-0 lead after the first inning.
 
UCSB tied it up in the bottom of the second with a two-out double by Zander Darby but UH quickly recaptured the lead in the top of the third. Junior catcher Dallas Duarte returned from his one-game suspension to produce a bloop single to right field, scoring junior third baseman Aaron Ujimori from second for a 3-2 advantage.
 
The Gauchos tied it up again in the bottom half of the inning and wrapped up the first three innings in gridlock at 3-3. The offense stayed intact for the 'Bows tying their season-high in hits with 12 but wasn't able to turn those base runners into more runs. At the same time, the Gauchos collected 15 hits on the night and scored five runs over the next three frames to build their lead to an 8-3 final.
 
Graduate pitcher Andy Archer (1-4) was tagged with the loss as he went four innings, allowing four earned runs and eight hits. Mike Gutierrez (4-1) went six innings while allowing 11 hits and three earned runs for his fourth win of the year.
 
Donahue led the 'Bows' offense as he went 3-for-4 from the plate, boosting his season average to a team-high .279. Ujimori and Duarte added to the production as each picked up two hits on the night. It also marked the seventh multi-hit game of the season for Ujimori.
 
UH will try to avoid the series sweep on Sunday, with first pitch set for 10 a.m. HT.