MESA, Ariz. » Fresno State showed why it's been the toughest team to eliminate in postseason play.

Danny Muno became the first Bulldogs player to hit for the cycle and Fresno State pounded out 19 hits in a 14-5 win over Hawaii last night in the Western Athletic Conference baseball tournament at Hohokam Stadium.

The Bulldogs won two games yesterday and are now 12-1 in elimination games since 2008, when they won the national title after an unprecedented run through the College World Series.

“;That's why they've gone to regionals four straight years and won a national title. They play their best when their backs are against the wall,”; Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. “;Now we'll find out how we play with our backs against the wall.”;

The two teams meet again today at 9 a.m. Hawaii time for the winner-take-all championship. The Bulldogs (38-24) are looking for their fifth straight tournament title, while Hawaii (32-26) is hunting for its first since 1992.

“;We're not going to let that loss get to us,”; said Collin Bennett, who set a tournament record with his sixth double. “;We're just pumped up for tomorrow.”;

Four first-inning runs by the Rainbows didn't phase the Bulldogs, who scored 10 times over the first three innings.

Hawaii starter Connor Little was on the verge of pitching out of a jam in the first, striking out Bobby Coyle and Jordan Ribera with men on first and third.

Brennan Gowens came up with two outs and took two balls before smashing a two-run double to make up half of Hawaii's early lead.

“;That was probably the biggest at-bat of the entire game,”; Fresno State coach Mike Batesole said. “;The biggest at-bat in the game rarely comes in the ninth inning and big ones like that that most people lose in the context of the game. That one for my money was the biggest at-bat in the game.”;

Little made it out of the first, but didn't retire another batter as FSU sent 10 men to the plate in the second.

Three straight singles scored one run and Muno smacked a two-run triple to tie the game at 5-all to end Little's day.

Fresno State led 8-5 when Muno smacked a solo homer in the third and Coyle hit an RBI double as the Bulldogs doubled UH's lead at 10-5.

Muno needed a single for the cycle in the fifth and promptly drilled a base-hit up the middle to become the first Bulldog to achieve the feat.

Muno is to Fresno what Kolten Wong is to the Rainbows. Both play second base, both hit leadoff and both have been the catalysts to their team's success in this event.

“;That's as good as two second basemen in college baseball that you're going to see,”; Batesole said. “;To see them both on the same field going after it, it's pretty fun to watch those two go at it.”;

Muno is hitting .450 (9-for-20) with two homers, five RBIs and eight runs scored in the tournament. Wong finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored yesterday and is hitting .529 (9-for-17) with three homers, eight RBIs and nine runs.

The Rainbows took a 1-0 lead just two pitches into the game. Wong led off with a triple and Pi'ikea Kitamura followed with a run-scoring single up the middle.

Bennett came through with a two-out, two-run double and Sean Montplaisir drove in Bennett with a single to give the Rainbows a 4-0 lead in the first.

“;We came out with great energy and put up a four-spot, but our pitching was the story,”; Trapasso said. “;The six-spot obviously killed us and our starter wasn't able to figure it out while theirs did.”;

A Jeff Van Doornum RBI single in the second was the only other run UH scored. Fresno starter Matt Morse (5-5) settled down after the five early runs and lasted 6 1/3 innings, throwing 113 pitches.

He allowed 12 hits and two walks and struck out three. Cody Kendall threw 2 2/3 hitless innings in relief to end the game.

While the Bulldogs have burned through most of their pitching, Hawaii will start Josh Slaats (5-3, 3.10 ERA), who didn't give up an earned run in 5 2/3 innings against Louisiana Tech on Wednesday. Sam Spangler (4-6, 4.50) will be available out of the bullpen and closer Lenny Linsky (3-0, 1.70) is fresh on three days' rest.

“;We're going to throw Slaats, Spangler and Lenny,”; Trapasso said. “;Slaats needs to give us a couple innings coming back on three days rest and I can see going to Lenny in the fourth or fifth and go as long as he can.

“;He's our freshest guy and he's our best guy.”;