Jeff Van Doornum made sure Hawaii wasn't going to play catch-up for the second week in a row.

Van Doornum doubled and homered and the Rainbows held on to defeat Oregon 4-3 last night in the opener of a four-game series at Les Murakami Stadium.

With a UH basketball game going on simultaneously across campus, a crowd of 969 watched the Rainbows (2-3) beat the Ducks (3-2).

“;That's a good win for us because that's the best game we've played so far this season,”; Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. “;We played good defense and made the routine plays and (our pitching) was solid.”;

Van Doornum, who batted 4-for-12 in the opening series against Oregon State last weekend, showed signs he's back to his freshman-year form, when he hit .299 with 21 doubles.

He smashed a one-out double off the wall in right-center in the third, then connected on a solo homer to right in the fifth inning that wound up being the difference in the game.

“;I hit the home run, but the true guys who helped us win the game today was our pitching staff,”; Van Doornum said. “;I just try to go out there and do whatever I can do to help the team win.”;

Hawaii's bullpen fared much better to start this series. Starter Nate Klein allowed seven hits and three runs in six innings with two walks and a strikeout to earn the win, but ran into trouble in the seventh, putting runners on first and third with nobody out. Blair Walters replaced Klein and got Curtis Raulinaitis to ground into a double play on his first pitch, giving up just the one run to keep Hawaii in front.

“;Scored a run, but it was huge to go from two runners on and nobody out to a run in, but two outs and nobody on,”; Trapasso said.

Lenny Linsky retired all six batters he faced to earn a two-inning save while striking out three.

Breland Almadova set the tone for the 'Bows in the bottom of the first, drawing an eight-pitch walk after falling behind 0-2. Kevin Macdonald struck out for the apparent third out, but reached first after the ball got away from catcher Eddie Rodriguez. Collin Bennett then beat out a ground ball in the hole at short for an infield hit that scored Almadova for the early 1-0 lead.

UH tacked on two more runs in the inning as a walk and a passed ball scored Macdonald and an error by J.J. Altobelli scored Bennett for another unearned run to go up 3-0.

Marcus Piazzisi's two-run single in the third put the Ducks on the board. Raulinaitis singled and KC Serna ripped a double with one out before Piazzisi's base hit up the middle made it 3-2.

David Freitas doubled off the wall in center with one out in the fifth, but was picked off second base. Van Doornum then blasted a solo homer over the right-field fence to give UH a 4-2 lead.

Oregon starter Tyler Anderson was pulled after five innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits to take the loss. He walked six and had all eight of his strikeouts in the first three innings.

Anderson and reliever Alex Keudell combined to strike out 15 Rainbows. Van Doornum was the only UH hitter to have multiple hits.

Serna finished 3-for-4 with a run scored while batting leadoff for a much-improved Oregon offense that hit just .227 last year.

“;They're much, much better offensively,”; Trapasso said. “;They have a real good approach at the plate and are a good club.”;

HAWAIIi 4, OREGON 3

E—Rodriguez, Hambright, Altobelli. DP—Hawaii 1. LOB—Oregon 5; Hawaii 12. 2B—Serna. Wong, Freitas, Van Doornum. HR—Van Doornum. HBP—Marder. Van Doornum. SB—Wong. CS—Serna, Piazzisi. Reached on CI—Garcia

WP—Anderson. HBP—by Klein (Marder). by Keudell (Van Doornum). PB—Rodriguez. CI—Rodriguez

Umpires—Scott Higgins (Plate); Bill Speck (First); Joe Burleson (Third).

T—2:39. A—969.