Hawai'i
Mustang Baseball Opens Conference Slate in Hawai'i
3/5/2026 2:30:00 PM | Baseball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly finds itself in a position it has enjoyed just once before, 11 years ago: defending a Big West Conference title.
That's the task facing head coach Larry Lee's Mustangs as they travel to Oahu this weekend to open their 2026 Big West schedule against the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors. Game times at Les Murakami Stadium are Friday and Saturday at 8:35 p.m. PST and Sunday at 4:05 p.m. PDT. Links for video streams and live stats can be found on the baseball schedule page at GoPoly.com.
Cal Poly (5-7) snapped a six-game losing streak Tuesday with a 12-2 victory over Pepperdine, closing a nine-game homestand that resulted in a 2-2 mark against Washington State and 0-4 versus then-No. 25-ranked USC.
Under fifth-year head coach Rich Hill, Hawai'i has compiled an 8-4 mark, winning three of four games against Gonzaga, splitting four games versus Wichita State and earning another 3-1 series win against Ball State.
All 12 games were played at home and, after hosting Cal Poly this weekend, the Rainbow Warriors wrap up a 16-game season-opening homestand Tuesday versus Chaminade before playing their first road games of the year next weekend at Long Beach State.
Hawaii's successful start to the 2026 campaign has been fueled largely by its pitching staff, which has compiled a 2.54 ERA, ninth in NCAA Division I and second in the Big West.
Leading the way on the mound for the Rainbow Warriors are Friday starter Isaiah Magdalano (1-0, 2.79 ERA), Saturday starter Hekili Robello (3-0, 0.95 ERA) and Sunday starter Liam O'Brien (1-1, 2.35 ERA), all right-handers.
Magdalano was a first-team All-Big West selection as a relief pitcher in 2025 after going 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA and nine saves. Robello was 19-5 in two seasons at Santa Rosa Junior College before transferring to Hawai'i while O'Brien is pitching for his fourth school in five years. O'Brien made nine starts at Hawai'i last spring with a 4-3 win-loss record and 2.60 ERA.
Lee has made some adjustments to his weekend rotation after back-to-back four-game series.
Junior right-hander Griffin Naess (1-1, 4.96 ERA) continues as the Friday night starter, with Oregon State transfer Laif Palmer (1-2, 7.36 ERA) moving into the Saturday slot. Junior southpaw Josh Volmerding (0-0, 4.05 ERA), who missed his start last weekend due to injury, will start Sunday's game.
Hawai'i's team batting average through 12 games is .241, with shortstop Elijah Ickes owning the top individual mark of .333 and first baseman Ben Zeigler-Namoa the only other Rainbow Warrior above the .300 mark at .302 with a team-leading 12 RBIs.
Cal Poly's team batting average, which was as high as .291 following the Washington State series, slipped to .236 during the USC series prior to Tuesday's 12-hit attack against Pepperdine which lifted the mark to .244.
The Mustangs also have just two regulars above the .300 mark. Third baseman Alejandro Garza tops the chart at .314 with a team-leading nine RBIs while shortstop Nate Castellon, who had three hits versus Pepperdine, lifted his average to .308 with six doubles, No. 2 in the Big West, and three RBIs.
Cal Poly enjoys a 34-17 advantage in its all-time series against Hawai'i, which began in 1995 when both teams were in the Western Athletic Conference. The Mustangs won two of three games versus the Rainbow Warriors a year ago at Baggett Stadium and are 26-11 in Big West games, including a 16-6 mark at home and 10-5 in Manoa. Cal Poly won eight consecutive series versus Hawai'i from 2013-21.
