The postseason magic evaporated at an inopportune time for Maui Ahuna and the Tennessee baseball team.

UT, which made a habit of staging improbable rallies throughout the NCAA Tournament, could not muster one on command against fifth-seeded LSU in a College World Series elimination game in Omaha, Neb., on Tuesday. The Volunteers fell 5-0 to the Tigers, their second loss to their SEC brethren in four days to bring their season to an end at 44-22.

The shortstop Ahuna, a Hilo High graduate and UT leadoff hitter, went 2-for-4 with a double to lead the Vols offensively. He singled to right-center in the third and doubled to left-center in the fifth, and reached on an error in the seventh. Each time, a teammate could not follow up with a key hit against either Nate Ackenhausen or Riley Cooper, who combined on a six-hitter.

Ahuna was the only Vol with a multi-hit game. The Kansas transfer finished his first season at UT hitting .312 with an on-base percentage of .425 and slugging percentage of .537. He hit safely in his team's last six postseason games.

LSU advanced to face Wake Forest after having lost once to the Demon Deacons. The survivor between them — after one victory for Wake or two for LSU — advances to the CWS Finals.

On the other side of the CWS bracket, TCU knocked out Oral Roberts with a 6-1 win to earn a shot at Florida for the other berth in the finals.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.