Hawai'i's baseball players just got over final exams, but they still have more tests to ace.

The Rainbows resume Western Athletic Conference play today at Nevada. Fourth-place Hawai'i (31-19 overall, 9-9 WAC) trails third-place Nevada (28-22, 11-7) by two games as it heads down the home stretch of the regular season. Both have already clinched WAC tournament berths; the Rainbows clinched yesterday when New Mexico State (6-16) lost to San Jose State (7-12), 8-5. The most UH can lose is 15 games.

Still, the Rainbows need to play well this weekend and next in preparation for the tournament. Because there is no dominant team this season, the WAC is likely to have only one regional berth. The league's automatic berth goes to the tournament champion.

The Rainbows won two of three at home, all close games. They also went 2-0 in Reno last season; the third game was canceled because of snow. (It snowed last weekend in Reno, but it is supposed to be in the high 50s at night this weekend.)

The Wolf Pack will send right-hander Ryan Rodriguez (7-5, 3.55 ERA), a two-time WAC Pitcher of the Week honoree.

"He's one of the better pitchers in our league," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "He's going to be a challenge. We're going to have to pitch well. He's going to give a good effort every time he goes out. We just need to go out and play well and we need a good effort out of our pitchers because it's different playing Nevada at Peccole Park. They're suited so well for their park that it makes them a different club. They're probably the hottest team in our league right now."

Rodriguez kept UH in check for 8 1/3 innings, departing with a 3-2 lead, only to watch Evan Zimny's booming three-run home run off Kody Keroher complete UH's comeback.

Actually, the Rainbows had other opportunities to score off of Rodriguez, but a failed sacrifice attempt, a runner thrown out trying to advance on a wild pitch and a runner doubled off second on a fly out in that game turned hurt them early.

The Rainbows will use the same rotation they had in a three-game sweep of UH-Hilo last weekend. Ian Harrington (7-6, 3.80 will face Rodriguez today; Matt Daly (5-1, 2.35), coming off a one-hitter of the Vulcans, will start tomorrow against Rod Scurry (7-5, 5.05); and Mark Rodrigues (8-2, 3.44) will close out the series Monday against Kyle Howe (2-3, 5.23).

Hawai'i still has a chance to finish tied for first with Fresno State and Louisiana Tech, but it will take a perfect storm. Tech, which beat FSU 10-5 last night, must split the rest of the series, while UH must win out. All would be 15-9 with UH winning tie-breakers against both because of head-to-head records.

All of the UH games this weekend start at 3 p.m., Hawai'i time, and will be on 1420 AM.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.