Jon Hummel's two-out, two-run single capped a three-run bottom of the ninth as Minnesota rallied past Hawai'i, 5-4, yesterday to capture the Dairy Queen Classic title at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

The host Gophers (5-2) finished 3-0 in the tournament, followed by UC Santa Barbara (2-1), the Rainbows (1-2) and Washington (0-3). Minnesota avenged a 6-2 loss to UH Thursday in a game preceding the tournament.

The Rainbows (3-5) squandered two two-run leads yesterday. Earlier, Alex Capaul lasted just three batters in failing to hold a 2-0 lead after right-hander Jared Alexander made his first start since May 2 of last season while rehabilitating a tender pitching elbow. Alexander faced the minimum 12 batters, using 37 pitches, allowing no runs and one hit. The only base runner he allowed was caught stealing.

Then closer Josh Slaats couldn't finish off the Gophers after Sam Spangler allowed no runs on a hit and walk with four strikeouts in four innings.

"We didn't lose because of Capaul and Slaats," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "We win as a team, we lose as a team. We had other opportunities to do other things and didn't. But it's a shame. Maybe I'll have a better perspective in the morning. Right now, it's the toughest loss of my career. I can't think of any other that hurts this much."

The Rainbows brought in Slaats (0-1) to protect their 4-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth. After retiring Derek McCallum on a grounder to third, Slaats walked Michael Kvasnicka and gave up a single to Nick O'Shea, with Kvasnicka advancing to third.

Slaats struck out Kyle Knudson, but Eric Decker had a nine-pitch at-bat that ended with an RBI single that made it 4-3 and put runners at the corners. Decker, an all-Big Ten receiver in football, then stole second. No throw was made because Decker had the base stolen, Trapasso said. Hummel then drilled a 3-1 pitch to right to score both runners.

"He was getting behind in the count, so he had to come in," Trapasso said of Slaats. "Even when we tried to cross count and throw slider, he couldn't do it. He wasn't sharp. His fastball was flat. He just didn't have it."

Cullen Sexton (2-0) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for the Gophers, who had their own relief issues. Allen Bechstein gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning after his team tied the score at 2 in the bottom of the fifth.

Hawai'i took a 2-0 lead on UM starter Seth Rosin in the second inning. Christian Johnson reached on a one-out, bunt single to third and stole second. One out later, Sean Montplaisir hit a double off the right-field wall to score Johnson. Shane Hoey followed with an RBI single.

Capaul replaced Alexander to start the bottom of the fifth. He gave up a lead-off single to Kvasnicka, a walk to O'Shea and a run-scoring single to Knudson before being lifted. Spangler came in but was greeted by single by Decker to load the bases. After retiring the next two batters, Spangler walked Matt Nohelty to force across a run that made it 2-2.

Rosin departed after going six innings, allowing two runs and five hits with six strikeouts, and was replaced by Bechstein. Johnson led off with a ground-rule double to center and took third when Landon Hernandez grounded out to short. With the infield drawn in, Montplaisir walked. Bechstein's wild pitch then scored Johnson to put UH ahead, 3-2, as Montplaisir took second. Hoey's flyout to deep center moved Montplaisir to third. Kolten Wong's RBI single to center made it 4-2.

The Rainbows got the lead-off batter on to start the top of the ninth when Montplaisir singled. Trapasso said he thought about sacrificing, but elected not to do so. Hoey flied out to center and Wong flied out to left with Montplaisir breaking with the pitch and needing to return after the catch. The inning ended when Montplaisir was thrown out trying to steal second.

Despite the struggles of Capaul and Slaats, Trapasso is confident they will come around.

"We have to get something out of (Capaul) and we have to get something out of Slaats," he said. "Both those guys have to show a little more toughness out there. I think they will."

Trapasso added that Alexander will start again Sunday against Mississippi State, the last day of the four-game series that starts Thursday. The Rainbows won't have much of a turnaround as they arrive home today.