Hawai'i got yet another stellar pitching performance to knock off Louisiana Tech, 9-2, yesterday to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Athletic Conference series in Ruston, La.

The Rainbows (35-12 overall, 12-6 WAC) maintained their one-game lead in the WAC over Fresno State and San Jose State, tied for second at 10-6. Fresno State beat Nevada, 13-2, and San Jose State beat New Mexico State, 7-6 in 10 innings yesterday.

Meanwhile, the struggling Bulldogs (28-20, 9-10) dropped 3 1/2 back of UH, while staying in fourth, but just a half-game ahead idle fifth-place Sacramento State (8-10).

With NMSU's loss, UH needs one more win to clinch the first of six WAC tournament berths.

Justin Costi (7-1) was an out shy of a complete game. He was charged with two runs, nine hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings. Seldom-used Jeff Soskin (1 1/3 scoreless innings entering the game) struck out pinch hitter Brady Bascle for the final out of the game.

"It was a very mature outing for him in that he stayed within himself," UH coach Mike Trapasso said of Costi. "Justin's worst enemy is him trying to do too much with his competitiveness sometimes. He had all three pitches working for him."

Because Costi was at only 96 pitches entering the ninth, Trapasso hoped he could squeeze out a complete game, especially with today's doubleheader.

"I could've left him in; he was still throwing well," Trapasso said. "He was at over 120 (pitches) so I had to take him out."

The Rainbows supported Costi by scoring in five different innings. Eli Christensen led the way, batting 3 for 4 with three RBIs. His second-inning, two-run home run to center off LaTech starter Jericho Jones jump-started the Rainbows.

Another clutch hit was an RBI single by designated hitter Kris Sanchez, who fouled off a number of pitches before delivering an RBI single in a two-run fourth that was followed by a squeeze play by Jon Hee that made it 4-0.

"That was a good at-bat," Trapasso said. "That was a big hit for us. It got things going for us."

Jones (5-3) was raked for five runs (four earned), six hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

The Bulldogs' defense committed three errors that contributed to five unearned runs.

An error and passed ball allowed two runs to score in the fifth to make it 6-0.

A passed ball in the sixth put a runner on second to set up Justin Frash's RBI single made it 7-0.

A two out, two-base throwing error by the shortstop led to two unearned runs in the ninth for UH to make it 9-0.

The Bulldogs, held to one run by Steven Wright on Thursday, did not score last night until the ninth against Costi.

The series resumes with a doubleheader today. The first game is set for 7 a.m., Hawai'i time and the second for 1 p.m.

With two the long outings by Wright and Costi, the Rainbows bullpen is well-rested for the doubleheader. Hawai'i has used only 1 1/3 innings of relief in this series without having used closer Darrell Fisherbaugh.