No. 20 Hawai'i blasted three home runs to outlast New Mexico State, 12-10, tonight in the Western Athletic Conference series opener at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, N.M.

Sean Montplaisir, Kevin Macdonald and Vinnie Catricala each homered to lift the Rainbows in sole possession of first place in the conference. Nevada (7-4) is playing a non-conference series this weekend against Cal State Bakersfield.

Jayson Kramer (4-3) allowed five runs, seven hits and five walks with two strikeouts in six innings for the Rainbows (25-14 overall, 8-4 WAC). Sam Spangler gave up three runs in 2 2/3 innings with five strikeouts for his fourth save.

Tyler Sturdevant (4-4) gave up six runs (five earned), eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts in five innings for the Aggies (32-9, 7-6).

Hawai'i wasted little time using the long ball in the top of the first inning. With one out, Sean Montplaisir homered to right to put UH ahead, 1-0. Vinnie Catricala was hit by a pitch before Kevin Macdonald struck out. Kolten Wong tripled to right-center to score Catricala and Wong scored on an error to make it 3-0 before Landon Hernandez popped out to second to end the inning.

The Aggies responded with one in the bottom of the first. Jeffrey Farnham led off with a double to left-center and scored on Nate Shaver's single to center to make it 3-1.

The Rainbows added two in the second. With two out, Ryan Morford singled to left and took second on Greg Garcia's single to left. Montplaisir's single to left scored Morford and moved Garcia to second. Catricala's single to left scored Garcia, as Montplaisir stopped at second. Macdonald lined out to the pitcher for the third out.

The Aggies pulled to 5-4 in the second. Leo Aguirre led off with a single and Ben Harty was hit by a pitch. Wade Reynoso flied out to deep right, allowing Aguirre to take third. Wes Schneider walked to load the bases. Justin Lucero was hit by a pitch to force in a run to make it 5-2. Farnham walked to force in another run to make it 5-3. Shaver's sacrifice fly pulled NMSU to 5-4.

Hawai'i got one back in the fourth. Van Doornum led off with a single to center and took second when Morford walked. After Garcia struck out, Montplaisir flied out to right, allowing Van Doornum to advance to third. Catricala walked to load the bases. Macdonald walked to force in a run to increase UH's lead to 6-4. But Wong lined out to right to leave the bases full.

The Aggies scored once in the bottom of the fourth. Reynoso singled to right, took second on Schneider's sacrifice and scored on Lucero's single to center to make it 6-5. But Farnham grounded to short for a double play.

Justin Cooper started the sixth for Sturdevant and Garcia greeted him with a double to left. Montplaisir was hit by a pitch. Catricala grounded to third for a double play that moved Garcia to third. Macdonald's single to right scored Garcia to make it 7-5. Macdonald went to third on Wong's single to right. Cooper was pulled for Scott Coffman. Hernandez's RBI single moved Wong to third with UH ahead, 8-5.

Jesse Moore started the seventh for UH. Shaver led off with a walk, but Moore struck out Sodders. Shaver took second on a wild pitch and scored on Marquez's single to left to pull NMSU to 8-6. Aguirre singled up the middle with Marquez pulling up to second. Harty's RBI single made it 8-7 and moved pinch runner Chase Perkins to second. Moore was pulled for Sam Spangler, who got Reynoso called out on strikes. Schneider flied out to deep center to end the inning.

Hawai'i added to its lead in the eighth, when Macdonald's solo home run to right off reliever Daniel Reyes made it 9-7. It was Macdonald's team-leading ninth homer of the season.

The Aggies pulled to within one in the eighth. Shaver singled to left with two outs and took second on Sodders' single to left. Marquez's single to left scored Shaver to make it 9-8 and the runners advanced to second and third on left fielder Montplaisir's throwing error. But Perkins struck out to end the inning.

Hawai'i added three in the ninth to cushion its lead. Morford doubled to right-center with one out, went to third when Garcia flied out to deep center and scored on Montplaisir's double to right to make it 10-8. Reyes was pulled for Frankie Duran, who gave up a two-run home run to Catricala that made it 12-8.

The Aggies hit their first homer of the night in the bottom of the ninth. Harty led off with a walk and Reynoso homered to center to pull NMSU to 12-10.