RUSTON, La. — Nick Rhodes pitched seven strong innings and Hawai'i survived a near-collapse by its bullpen in holding off New Mexico State, 11-7, today in the opening round of the Western Athletic Conference baseball tournament at JC Love Field.

The game was delayed one hour, 41 minutes because of inclement weather.

Rhodes (5-6) allowed a run, six hits and two walks with six strikeouts for the Rainbows (28-29). UH plays Nevada at 2 p.m. Hawai'i time tomorrow. The Wolf Pack beat San Jose State, 11-0, in seven innings (10-run differential rule).

Heath Goin (6-3) went 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs, seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts for the Aggies (28-32). He was pulled after the weather delay.

The Aggies got on the board first on Joseph Scaperotta's one out, solo home run to right-center. It was his 23rd homer of the season and sixth against UH.

The Rainbows tied it in the bottom of the fourth. Greg Garcia led off with a double to right, took third on Jon Hee's single to third and scored on Brandon Haislet's single.

Hawai'i took the lead in the fifth. Derek DuPree led off with a walk and took third on a hit-and-run single to right by Landon Hernandez. With runners at the corners, Matt Roquemore singled off second baseman Bryan Marquez's glove to score DuPree to put UH ahead, 2-1, as Hernandez stopped at second. The runners advanced on Garica's sacrifice. Hee's sacrifice fly to left made it 3-1, as Roquemore held second. With an 0-1 count on Haislet from Goin, a sudden gust of wind upended a tent behind the Wolf Pack dugout behind first base. The umpire called the players in an anticipation of inclement weather. It was not raining when the delay was called, but did so later. The game resumed after delay of one hour, 41 minutes because of rain, wind and lightning.. It was long enough that the Aggies brought in Matt Van Deelen for Goin.

When play resumed, Haislet hit the first pitch from Van Deelen and grounded it inside first for an RBI double to make it 4-1.

The Aggies threatened in the seventh when Marcus Quade led off with a single, but was thrown out at the plate on a relay from left fielder Roquemore to shortstop Hee to catcher Hernandez, trying to score on Colin Crouthamel's double down the left field line.

The Rainbows sent 10 batters to the plate in a six-run seventh. Roquemore led off with a walk and one out later, took third on Hee's double to left. After running a 2-0 count, Haislet was intentionally walked by Dillon Smith, who entered the game in the sixth. Van Doornum followed with a two-run single to right; Haislet took third on the right fielder's fielding error. Kevin Macdonald grounded out to second, scoring Haislet to make it 7-1. Vinnie Catricala hit a home run to center to make it 9-1 and DuPree followed with a homer to right to make it 10-1. After Hernandez singled, Smith was pulled for Jacob Wilson, who got Roquemore on a fly to center to end the inning.

The Aggies sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run eighth. The Rainbows sent Sam Splanger to start the inning, but he walked the first two batters he faced and when he went 1-0 on Scaperotta, he was pulled for Cameron Wheeler, who was greeted with an RBI double by Chris Auten to make it 10-2 with runners at second and third. But Wheeler struck out Tyler Hardt for the first out. Quade walked to load the bases and pinch hitter Leo Aguirre hit a grand slam to right-center to pull NMSU to 10-6. Busani was called out on strikes for the second out. But after Marquez doubled, Wheeler was replaced by Matt Daly. Stout's RBI single to center made it 10-7. But Scaperotta lined out to right to end the inning.

Hawai'i added a run in the eighth. With two outs, Haislet was hit by a pitch by Erik Nyquist, stole second and scored on Van Doornum's double to right-center to make it 11-7.

FRESNO STATE 3, SACRAMENTO STATE 2

Ryan Overland's two-run double in the fourth supported the strong pitching of Justin Wilson in Game 1 of the tournament.

Wilson (6-4) allowed two runs (one earned), five hits and four walks with two strikeouts for the top-seeded Bulldogs (34-27), who play San Jose State. Holden Sprague went two-thirds of an inning and Kris Tomlinson went one-third to take care of the eighth inning. Brandon Burke notched his eighth save with a perfect ninth that ended with left fielder Steve Susdorf hauling in a deep drive by Taylor Watanabe ('Aiea 2003).

Watanabe went 1 for 5 for the Hornets (23-33), who will play the Aggies in an elimination game today.

Trevor York (4-6) allowed all three runs on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts for the sixth-seeded Hornets.

NEVADA 11, SAN JOSE STATE 0

Rod Scurry fired a three-hitter and Tom Jaquez hit three home runs to lead the second-seeded Wolf Pack into today's second round winners' bracket game against Hawai'i.

The game was called after seven innings because of the 10-run differential mercy rule.

Scurry (6-7) walked one and struck out three. Max Peterson (5-6) gave up seven runs in five innings for the Spartans (31-24), who will play top-seeded Fresno State today.

Jaquez was the only Wolf Pack to record multiple hits. He had five RBI from the home runs.