Another test awaits the Hawai'i baseball team.

The Rainbows (24-25 overall, 16-12 WAC) open their final Western Athletic Conference series of the season at New Mexico State today without ace starter Jared Alexander.

But the resilient Rainbows have always found a way to survive, whether it is the relievers picking up for starters, pitchers picking up for hitters or hitters picking up for pitchers.

Alex Bates, who was skipped a start last weekend because of a tender arm, will start today's opener against the Aggies (24-27, 11-13), UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

"He's the most rested," Trapasso said noting the one less day of rest for the other starters because the last series ended Sunday.

Bates (0-1, 5.06) will be making only his fourth start after getting a late start because of tendinitis the first half of the season. Trapasso said Bates will be at about a 70-pitch limit as a precaution because he is coming off a tender arm.

"We're hoping he can go five (innings) for us," Trapasso said.

Nick Rhodes (4-4, 4.84) will resume his role as the No. 2 starter. Matt Daly (5-3, 4.88) is likely the starter for the first game of Saturday's doubleheader with the second game depending on who is available at the time, Trapasso said.

Alexander, the second-leading pitcher in the conference at 7-3 with a 3.27 ERA), remained behind to rehabilitate his elbow. An MRI showed no ligament tear in his elbow, so the Rainbows are hoping rest and rehab will get him available for the WAC tournament May 22 to 25.

The Aggies will start, in order, Tyler Sturdevant (5-5, 5.36), Heath Goin (5-2, 4.79), Dillon Smith (2-4, 7.52) and Sebastian Vendette (2-4, 7.71). Goin pitched seven strong innings in NMSU's only win against UH in a 9-3 victory.

The Rainbows took three of from from the Aggies last month at Les Murakami Stadium. All of the games' scores were in single digits. That might not be the case at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, N.M. Trapasso described it as "an extreme home run park."

The Aggies lead all WAC teams with 81 home runs and average a league-leading 8.98 runs per game. Their batters also are among the most patient at the plate, averaging 5.73 walks per game. They have the second-leading hitter in the league in Tyler Hardt (.391) and the league leader in home runs and RBI in Joseph Scaperotta (18 and 63).

Both teams clinched WAC tournament berths when Louisiana Tech was mathematically eliminated over the weekend. Ironically, Louisiana Tech is the host of the tournament.

Game time today is 2 p.m., HST. ESPN 1420 AM will broadcast the game live.