Minnesota rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat Hawai'i, 5-4, today to capture the Dairy Queen Classic title in the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

The Gophers (5-2) went 3-0 in the tournament, while the Rainbows (3-5) went 1-2. UC Santa Barbara was 2-1 and Washington was 0-3.

Jon Hummel's two-out, two-run single won it for the host Gophers. With one out in the bottom of the ninth against UH closer Josh Slaats (0-1), Michael Kvasnick walked and took third when Nick O'Shea singled to right.

Brooks Albrecht pinch ran for O'Shea before Kyle Knudson struck out with runners at the corners. Eric Decker outlasted Slaats in a nine-pitch at-bat with a ground single to center to score Kvasnicka and moved Albrecht to third to pull UM to 4-3. Decker, an all-Big Ten receiver in football, stole second to put the winning run at second to set up Hummel's game-winning single.

Cullen Sexton (2-0) pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing a hit and a walk.

Allen Bechstein gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning in relief, spoiling a strong outing by starter Seth Rosin (two runs in six innings with six strikeouts) for the Gophers.

The Rainbows wasted an strong outings from starter Jared Alexander, making his season debut after recovering from a tender elbow that sidelined him the end of last season, and Sam Spangler. Alexander pitched four innings — using 37 pitches or eight fewer than his estimated limit — allowing no runs and one hit. He faced the minimum 12 batters because the only runner he allowed was caught stealing in the second inning. It was his first appearance since May 2, when he went five innings to beat Sacramento State. Spangler also pitched four scoreless innings, allowing a hit with four strikeouts.

The Rainbows jumped on Rosin for two in the second inning. With one out, Christian Johnson reached on a bunt single to third, stole second, and after Landon Hernandez fouled out to first, scored on Sean Montplaisir's double off the right-field wall to give UH a 1-0 lead. Shane Hoey followed with a single to right to score Montplaisir, making it 2-0; Hoey took second on the throw home.

The Gophers tie the game in the fifth after Alexander's departure against Alex Capaul. Kvasnicka led off with a single and Nick O'Shea walked. Kyle Knudson singled to left to score Kvasnicka to pull UM to 2-1 with runners at first and second. After a 1-0 count on the left-handed Eric Decker, the right-handed Capaul was pulled for the left-handed Sam Spangler. Decker then singled to right to load the bases. Jon Hummel flied out to shallow center, holding the runners and Kyle Geason struck out. But Matt Nohelty walked to force in a run to tie the game at 2. Spangler came back to strike out A.J. Pettersen to end the inning with the bases loaded.

The Rainbows regained the lead in the seventh after the Gophers lifted Rosin for Allen Bechstein to start the inning. Johnson led off with a ground-rule double to center. He took third when Hernandez grounded out to short and Montplaisir walked to put runners at the corners. A wild pitch scored Johnson to five UH a 3-2 lead, as Montplaisir took second. Montplaisir moved to third when Hoey flied out to center. The right-handed Bechstein was pulled for left-handed Phil Isaksson to face the left-handed hitting Wong, who responded with an RBI single to center to make it 4-2.