Hawaii pitchers run into trouble in New Mexico

LAS CRUCES, N.M. » Until the Rainbow baseball team finds an answer for Joseph Scaperotta, it's going to be tough to stop power-hitting New Mexico State.

Scaperotta hit a grand slam, his fourth homer against Hawaii this season, and drove in five runs as the Aggies defeated the Rainbows 13-8 in a slugfest yesterday at Presley Askew Field.

Scaperotta is hitting .348 against Hawaii this year with six extra-base hits and 12 runs driven in. His five RBIs yesterday gave him 70 for the season and he leads the WAC with 20 home runs.

"He's a good hitter," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "That's why he's leading the league in most categories."

Bryan Marquez hit a two-run homer and Chris Auten added a solo shot for the Aggies, who have evened their record at 13-13 in league play. Hawaii (24-27, 16-14 WAC) lost for the third time in its last four games.

Jon Hee hit two home runs and Jeff Van Doornum added a two-run shot in the ninth as the Rainbows matched the Aggies' home run total with three of their own.

Hee's two-run shot in the third inning gave the 'Bows a 2-0 lead. Hawaii added a run in the third on a sacrifice fly by Greg Garcia and another in the fourth on an RBI double by Kevin Macdonald to take a 4-1 lead.

Scaperotta's RBI double cut the lead to two in the fifth before the Aggies put eight on the board in a sixth inning that saw them send 13 batters to the plate.

Rainbows starter Nick Rhodes left after one out in the sixth and the game tied at 4. An RBI single by Franky Busani and an error by Vinnie Catricala allowed the Aggies to tie the game.

Jayson Kramer relieved Rhodes and drilled Richard Stout with his first pitch. Kramer then walked Marquez to force in the go-ahead run before Scaperotta's grand slam put the Aggies up 9-4.

Kramer allowed three more hits in the inning, including a run-scoring single by Joe Leghorn, as the Aggies turned a two-run deficit into a 10-4 lead.

"I don't know what the deal is with Kramer, but we're going to have to go back to the drawing board with him," Trapasso said. "He just didn't have anything and that was basically the ballgame."

Rhodes allowed five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss and fall to 4-5 for the season.

Heath Goin allowed five runs and 10 hits over seven innings, but had plenty of offensive support to run his record to 6-2.

Evan Zimny made his first start in nearly two months and had two hits for the 'Bows. Ryan Asato added a single and a double before leaving the game in the eighth with a leg injury.

"We're not sure, but we think it's his hamstring again and that's a real shame because he's been swinging the bat well," Trapasso said.

The Rainbows find themselves needing a sweep in today's doubleheader to earn a split of the four-game series.

It's a position Hawaii hasn't been in often this season. The Rainbows had won the first two games in every WAC series but one heading into this weekend.

"Obviously that tells you how important Jared (Alexander) is to us," Trapasso said. "But that just means somebody has got to step up. (Matt) Daly has to step up (today)."

Daly will start the first game of today's doubleheader, beginning at 9 a.m.