Jared Alexander pitched eight solid innings and Vinnie Catricala drove in two runs to help Hawai'i beat New Mexico State, 4-2, tonight in the opener of the four-game Western Athletic Conference baseball series at Les Murakami Stadium.

Alexander (4-3) allowed a run, six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts for the Rainbows (14-20 overall, 6-7 WAC).

Jayson Kramer allowed a run and two hits in the ninth, striking out one for his four save.

Webster (1-3) went 7 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned), seven hits and three walks with one strikeout for the Aggies (15-17, 4-5).

The Rainbows took a 1-0 lead in the second. Brandon Haislet led off with a single to left, but was forced at second on Jeff Van Doornum's grounder to second. Van Doornum took second on Kevin Macdonald's single and scored on Vinnie Catricala's chop single to left.

The Aggies wasted little time tying the game at 1 in the top of the third on Joseph Scaperotta's two out, home run to right. It was his 12th homer of the season.

Hawai'i regained the lead in the fourth on a two out, RBI single by Garcia that made it 2-1.

The Rainbows prevented the Aggies from tying the game in the sixth when Tyler Hardt was thrown out at home trying to score from first on a long single to center by Marus Quade. Hardt was thrown out on a relay from center fielder Haislet to shortstop Jon Hee to catcher Landon Hernandez for the third out of the inning to preserve UH's lead.

Hawai'i added insurance in the seventh. Garcia led off with a single and took second on Hernandez's sacrifice. Alex Myers pinch hit for Sean Montplaisir and singled home Garcia to make it 3-1.

The Rainbows scored again in the eighth. Haislet reached on a two-base throwing error by the third baseman and took third when Van Doornum grounded out to first. Macdonald was intentionally walked by Webster, who was then pulled for Frankie Duran. Catricala's sacrifice fly to center scored Haislet to make it 4-1.

The Aggies added a run in the ninth when pinch hitter Leo Aguirre grounded to second for a force at second with runners at the corners.