Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. - The No. 24 University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (41-14) fell to a red-hot Nevada Wolf Pack team (26-26) 10-3 on the second day of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament at Pete Beiden Field Friday. Justin Costi (8-2) took the loss while UN's Ryan Rodriguez (7-7) got the win. Wesley Dorsett came in to earn his third save of the season.

The 'Bows took the loss despite outhitting the Wolf Pack 9-8. UH gave up a season-high 10 walks in the game and left 10 runners on base.

Matthew Inouye led the way for UH, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double. Robbie Wilder added a 2-for-3 game with a double and a run while Elijah Christensen was 2-for-4 with one RBI and a double, while Jonathan Hee also went 2-for-4.

Nevada got on the board in the first inning as Durell Williams hit a lead-off home run to left field, giving the Pack at 1-0 edge. The Wolf Pack then blew up in the bottom of the third, scoring six runs, highlighted by a grand slam by Drew Johnson, to move their lead to 7-0 after three innings.

Hawai`i put up a run in the top of the fourth on a RBI-double by Christensen. The `Bows looked to cut further into the deficit in the fifth, loading the bases with just one out. But the Pack got out of it, inducing a pop up and a ground out to close the door unscathed. Nevada looked like they were going to add to their lead in the bottom of the fifth, but Wilder stole a home run from David Ciarlo, catching it at the top of the wall in left field, to hold the score at 7-1.

The Rainbows again loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. But this time, UH wouldn't go without some noise. Inouye banged a two-run double down the right line to cut it back to 7-3. But Hawai`i again left an opportunity, leaving the inning with two runners in scoring position.

But the Nevada bats stayed hot as Ciarlo blasted a three-run homer to center field, giving them their final edge of 10-3.

UH will now face Louisiana Tech in an elimination game at 3 p.m. tomorrow. If the Rainbows win that game, they will have to face the loser of the Fresno State-Nevada game at 7 p.m.

-UH-