Despite having just one big offensive inning, Hawai'i managed to split a doubleheader with San Jose State yesterday, rallying to take the opener, 7-5, before falling in the seven-inning nightcap, 3-2.

A Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 3,352 — the largest of the season and largest since 3,487 against Louisiana Tech on April 21, 2007 — saw the Rainbows move to 18-10 overall and 2-1 in the WAC, a game behind first-place Nevada, which swept a doubleheader from Louisiana Tech yesterday.

Hawai'i overcame a 5-2 deficit with a five-run eighth in the opener, but stranded the tying run on third in the bottom of the seventh of the nightcap against the Spartans (20-7, 1-2).

"I'm really disappointed at the way we played both games," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "Outside of the eighth inning in the first game, we didn't play well. We had way too many opportunities that we let go by. We didn't execute.

"We were lucky to squeeze one out because we put up a five-spot. That first game was really all about Harry (Kuroda), coming in putting up zeros."

In the opener, the Rainbows labored against struggling SJSU starter Max Peterson, who entered the game 5-0 with a 2.70 earned run average. Peterson only lasted 3 1/3 innings, despite giving up only three hits, including solo home runs by Kevin Macdonald and Jeffrey Van Doornum. Peterson issued an uncharacteristic seven walks, but the Rainbows couldn't capitalize.

Hawai'i starter Jared Alexander also labored for a third consecutive start. He went just 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs, seven hits and a walk with one strikeout. Only 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief by Kuroda kept the Rainbows within striking distance.

"He's not making pitches, it's that simple," Trapasso said of Alexander. "There's nothing wrong with him physically. He's not throwing his breaking ball for strikes and it makes him a one-pitch pitcher and that one pitch isn't good enough to get by and that one pitch was elevated way too often. He's not getting sink (action)."

Ironically, Alexander and Peterson were preseason all-WAC selections; Alexander, in fact, was the preseason Pitcher of the Year.

In the UH eighth against Jack Adams, Matt Roquemore singled to center and scored on Sean Montplaisir's double to right to make it 5-3. Greg Garcia singled to right, moving Montplaisir to third. Closer Anthony Vega came in for Adams and was greeted with an RBI single by Ryan Morford to pull UH to 5-4 with runners at the corners. Vega then hit Vinnie Catricala to load the bases. Kevin Macdonald's two-run single up the middle against a drawn-in infield put UH ahead, 6-5. Kolten Wong followed with an RBI single to make it 7-5.

Sam Spangler pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.

Kuroda (4-1) scattered three hits, with no walks and no strikeouts.

"I was trying to get ahead, throw strikes," Kuroda said. "Mix my changeup in. It's pretty much my game plan, get ahead with the fastball and throw my changeup when I get ahead."

In the nightcap, SJSU right-hander Ryan Shopshire (2-1), who tossed a four-hit shutout last year against the Rainbows, scattered three hits over six-plus innings. But UH could not cash in on his six walks, stranding six of seven runners in scoring position.

"He didn't miss by a lot," SJSU coach Sam Piraro said. "I thought he was where he wanted to be (with his pitches) most of the time. So maybe it's effectively wild. I don't think he was out of control wild."

Meanwhile, UH freshman starter Matt Sisto (3-2) turned in another strong performance, going seven innings, allowing three runs (one earned) and five hits with a hit batsman and two strikeouts.

The Spartans scored twice in the first. Craig Hertler led off with a single and Sisto hit Kyle Bellows. Jason Martin reached first on shortstop Garcia's fielding error that allowed Hertler to score, as Bellows stopped at second. Bellows advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Anthony Rona grounded to short for a double play.

"It's that fine line when a base hit and a hit batsman in the first inning, you give up two unearned runs and that's the ball game because you're not putting things together from an execution standpoint," Trapasso said.

The Rainbows got a run back in the second when Wong tripled to right and scored an out later on Van Doornum's sacrifice fly to center.

But the Spartans got the run back in the third when Tommy Gale led off with a triple and scored on Hertler's single to left-center.

The Rainbows threatened in the bottom of the seventh when Shopshire walked Roquemore and pinch hitter Christian Johnson to start the inning. Shopshire was pulled for Trevor Gibson. The runners advanced on Garcia's sacrifice. Roquemore scored when Morford grounded out to third, as Johnson moved to third. But Catricala grounded sharply to second to end the game, as Gibson registered his first save.

"Outside of the hit batter, Sisto pitched well and deserved a better fate," Trapasso said.

The series concludes at 1:05 p.m. today. The Spartans are scheduled to start Scott Sobczak (4-0, 1.45 ERA), who threw a six-hit complete game win against UH in 2007. The Rainbows are probably going to go with freshman Connor Little, Trapasso said.