JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM The Rainbows' Jon Hee scored in the bottom of the first inning in Hawaii's 5-4 loss to Nevada in last night's WAC game at Les Murakami Stadium.

Nevada holds on to beat Hawaii

Hawaii baseball coach Mike Trapasso said it's his fault Nevada was allowed to rally in the seventh inning in the Rainbows' 5-4 loss to the Wolf Pack last night at Les Murakami Stadium.

But Trapasso also said UH's bats need to wake up before the ninth inning.

UH scored twice in the ninth, as Vinnie Catricala doubled in Ryan Asato and Landon Hernandez with one out. But Jon Hee and Derek DuPree both grounded out to short to end the rally. It ended with Catricala 90 feet away from tying it.

Brandon Haislet drove in two runs earlier for UH, with a first-inning single and a sixth-inning double.

"We just have to bounce back (today) and try to win the series," Haislet said. "We have to show some of that intensity we've shown in the ninth inning earlier."

A crowd of 2,327 saw UH (20-9, 1-1 WAC) lose for the first time after five straight wins. Nevada improved to 14-13 and 1-1.

UH also suffered from base-running problems, as three Rainbows were picked off.

"It bothers me a (expleted)," Trapasso said. "We can't have guys making bad reads on dirt balls and getting caught between the bases, especially in a close game."

Nevada scored four runs in the decisive seventh inning. Shaun Kort delivered a three-run double off UH relief ace Tyler Davis. Craig Johnson (0-1) had put the tying and go-ahead runners on.

UH starter Mark Rodrigues left after six innings with a 2-1 lead. He allowed eight hits, striking out one and walking one.

Trapasso said he should have started the inning with Davis, the UH bullpen ace.

"Bad decision on my part and I take the blame," Trapasso said. "It was a long inning (in the dugout) for Mark and he'd thrown 86 pitches. I didn't want to go three innings with Tyler."

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii's Kris Sanchez made a catch in foul territory last night against Nevada. The Wolf Pack won 5-4.

Davis came in, and another pinch hitter, Mike Hale, hit a single to left, scoring Rodriguez, making it 2-2. Davis hit Matt Suleski with a pitch, loading the bases. On a 3-2 pitch, Kort delivered a double into the left-field corner, clearing the bases and putting Nevada in front 5-2.

It was just the fourth time this season the UH bullpen failed to protect a lead. It was also the first time in 14 games this month UH has allowed more than three runs.

"Our pitching's still been pretty reliable, but we can't expect to win (expletive) college baseball games 2-1," Trapasso said. "We can't wait until the ninth inning to get something together. But they got the hits and did it all with two outs. "

Hawaii went up with a run in the first. Hee led off with a single to right-center. Justin Frash walked with one out and Haislet extended his hitting streak to nine games when he singled to right scoring Hee.

Rodrigues allowed a run in the fourth and his first walk in 163 batters. Konrad Schmidt's hard grounder got by Eli Christensen at shortstop for a base hit that scored Dan Eastham with the tying run. Eastham and Kort had reached on singles.

Rodrigues then walked Nick Sansone to load the bases. It was Rodrigues' fourth free pass of the year and first since his second start of the season, against Georgia Southern on Feb. 2. He struck out David Ciarlo on three pitches to end the inning.

In the UH ninth, Asato, hitting for Christensen, led off the ninth with a walk. One out later, Hernandez walked.

After Catricala's shot into the gap, Mario Rivera got the last two outs for his second save.