Two outs from facing a series sweep, Hawaii is now hoping for a split.

Collin Bennett's walk-off hit scored Kolten Wong with the wining run and Hawaii scored twice in the ninth inning to come back and beat Oregon State 5-4 yesterday for its first win of the season.

A Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 2,024 saw the Rainbows (1-2) blow a lead for the third straight game against the Beavers (2-1).

But this time, Hawaii had an answer, as Christian Johnson's pinch-hit solo home run tied the game with one out in the ninth. After Wong smoked a two-out double down the right-field line, Kevin Macdonald was walked intentionally after working a 3-0 count, setting the stage for Bennett.

A wild pitch moved the runners up 90 feet, and Bennett worked a 3-2 count before lacing the eighth pitch of his at-bat up the middle to set off a euphoric celebration in the infield.

“;It felt like we won the College World Series,”; said Bennett, a sophomore transfer from Tacoma (Wash.) Community College. “;My adrenaline was pumping and I got into the box and told myself to calm down and act like it's any other at-bat.”;

Bennett's hit gives Hawaii a chance to earn a split with Oregon State, ranked as high as No. 10 in one of the major national polls.

Junior Sam Spangler, who will be held to a strict pitch count, will take the mound tonight at 5:05.

“;He'll start the game and we're going to (need) a couple of guys come out of the bullpen and pitch better than we have out of the bullpen the first two days,”; Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. “;This early it's about playing well and you focus more on yourself, but to play to the point where you can win a couple games against a team like Oregon State, we'll see how we come out and play.”;

Hawaii got an encouraging start from junior Josh Slaats, who did not allow an earned run in six innings. Slaats, 2-7 with a 7.60 ERA in his first two seasons with the Rainbows, showed off a newfound command of his pitches and gave the Rainbows a quality outing.

“;I just want to be more aggressive and attack the hitters and not be passive this year,”; Slaats said. “;My arm felt good and healthy and I pretty much had my fastball and slider working out there.”;

The 6-foot-5 right-hander finished the day allowing two unearned runs on six hits while striking out four and walking one.

“;Two or three starts from now he'd go back in the seventh, but he was at 85 pitches,”; Trapasso said. “;He and (Alex) Capaul we call fall hall of famers because they have been lights out in the fall, but haven't been able to carry it over and perform under scoreboard pressure.

“;You know they're going to mature eventually and we're just waiting for that and I think they both took huge steps toward that today.”;

Capaul, 2-6 with an 8.44 ERA in his career entering his junior season, pitched the final three innings. He gave up a leadoff double in the seventh to Carter Bell, who eventually scored to tie the game, and a solo homer to Stefen Romero in the eighth that gave the Beavers the lead.

He came back out in the ninth and pitched a perfect inning, setting the stage for Hawaii's comeback to earn the win.

“;Putting up the zero in the ninth was big for us because it kept us in striking distance,”; Trapasso said. “;He came in and threw strikes.”;

Kevin Rhoderick took the loss for the Beavers after giving up both runs in the ninth. He was on his way toward his first save of the season when Johnson smacked a 2-0 fastball just over the wall in left field to tie the game.

“;I thought it was going foul and in my mind I was already thinking 'OK, it's 2-1, he's probably going to come back with another fastball,' “; Johnson said. “;I was running through pitches in my mind when I saw the umpire signal (a home run). It was a tremendous feeling.”;