Vinnie Catricala and Landon Hernandez each drove in three runs and Hawai'i outlasted Louisiana Tech, 13-7, today in the Western Athletic Conference series opener at J.C. Love Field in Ruston, La.

Jared Alexander (6-3) went 6 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs and 13 hits with six strikeouts for the Rainbows (20-22 overall, 12-9 WAC). Cory Kahn added 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Luke Burnett (0-4) lasted just two-thirds of an inning, allowing five runs for the Bulldogs (16-23, 2-17).

Freshman left fielder Sean Montplaisir hit a two-run home run for his first homer of his career.

The Rainbows batted through the order in a five-run first inning, taking advantage of Burnett's control issues, as he walked four, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch before being pulled after facing eight batters, while getting two outs. Jeff Van Doornum had an RBI single, another run scored on a wild pitch and Greg Garcia walked with the bases loaded to make it 3-0, chasing Burnett in the process. Jamey Bradshaw came in and gave up a two-run single to Hernandez to make it 5-0, but Garcia was thrown out at home trying to score.

The Bulldogs responded quickly in the bottom of the frame. Adam Cobb led off with a double, took third on Nick Grunenwald's sacrifice and scored on Drew Bunting's single to center to pull Tech to 5-1.

The Rainbows added two in the third off Bradshaw. Brandon Haislet reached on catcher's interference, took second on a wild pitch and advanced to third when Van Doornum grounded out to second. Kevin Macdonald was hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners. Catricala was called out on strikes, but Haislet scored and Macdonald took second on a passed ball to make it 6-1. Garcia reached on an infield single to put runners at the corners again. Hernandez singled to left to score Macdonald to make it 7-1.

Hawai'i tacked on four in the sixth. Derek DuPree led off with a walk and took third on Jon Hee's single to right. Haislet's RBI single to left sent Hee to second. Bradshaw was pulled for Aaron Lorio. Van Doornum popped out to second and Macdonald singled to left to load the bases. Catricala's triple to right cleared the bases to make it 11-1.

The Bulldogs clawed back for three in the bottom of the sixth. Pinch hitter Chris Juneau singled and took third on pinch hitter Clay Alexander's ground-rule double to right. Pinch hitter Jonathan Mire grounded out to short to score Juneau and move Alexander to third. Chris Kersten doubled to left to score Alexander and pinch hitter Clint Stubbs' RBI single made it 11-4.

The Bulldogs picked up four in the seventh. With two outs, Grunenwald singled, stole second and scored on Juneau's double to make it 11-5. Clay Alexander homered to left to pull Tech to 11-7. Alexander was pulled for Cory Kahn, who struck Mire to end the inning.

Hawai'i got a two-run home run with two outs from Montplaisir to increase its lead to 13-7.