Gonzaga became the latest in an ever-growing line of teams unable to touch Josh Slaats at Les Murakami Stadium.

The junior right-hander made it three consecutive home starts without allowing a run and Lenny Linsky got Drew Heid to line out to second with the bases loaded in the ninth to give Hawaii a 3-1 win over the Bulldogs last night.

A crowd of 2,158 watched Slaats stretch his consecutive scoreless innings streak at home to 19 1/3. In five home starts this season, Slaats is 3-0 and has given up one earned run in 29 2/3 innings.

Collin Bennett took advantage of one of Gonzaga's three errors to hit a two-run single in the fifth inning, helping Hawaii (15-11) defeat the Bulldogs (10-14) for its third straight win.

The Bulldogs made Linsky work for his sixth save of the season, connecting on seven hits in the final two innings. Three of Gonzaga's four hits in the eighth didn't leave the infield, but Linsky got a double play after Cameron Edman's leadoff single, and Andy Hunter bounced out to short to leave the bases loaded.

Gonzaga again loaded the bases in the ninth. Clayton Eslick and Royce Bolinger singled and Linsky walked pinch hitter Brian Yardley with two outs to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Kevin Hawk hit a line drive off of Linsky's back to score a run, but Linsky got Heid to line out to end the game after some intense final moments.

Bulldogs starter Cody Martin matched Slaats early on, as neither team had a hit until Jeff Van Doornum's single through the left side with two outs in the fourth.

Slaats had his no-hit bid end with two outs in the fifth on Edman's two-out double off the wall in left field.

Martin's defense didn't do him any favors, committing errors in three consecutive innings. It finally caught up to the Bulldogs in the fifth. Third baseman Sean Wilson dropped a weak line drive by Kolten Wong with two outs, allowing David Freitas to come to the plate with men on first and second.

After a mound visit by Gonzaga coach Mark Machtolf, Martin walked Freitas, setting the stage for Bennett, who drilled a two-run single to right. The throw home from right fielder Chris Sturdivant was in plenty of time to get Wong at the plate, but Edman couldn't field it cleanly, allowing the Rainbows to go up 2-0.

That was more than enough for Slaats, who retired seven of the next eight batters after Edman's double. He matched his season high,, going seven innings, and tied a career high with 10 strikeouts to get the win and improve to 3-1 while lowering his ERA to a minuscule 1.03.

Martin (2-3) took the loss for the Bulldogs despite striking out 10 batters. Martin entered the game second in the West Coast Conference with 46 strikeouts and had at least nine strikeouts in a game for the fourth time in seven starts this season.

Both of the runs he gave up were unearned and he allowed three hits and four walks.

The Rainbows tacked on a run after Martin's departure in the seventh when Freitas scored on a wild pitch by Mark Phillips, the second pitcher Gonzaga used in the inning. Andrew Danner recorded the first two outs, but gave up singles to Freitas and Bennett. Phillips walked Kevin Macdonald to load the bases and then bounced an 0-2 pitch past the catcher and to the backstop, allowing Freitas to score from third.

He battled back to strike out Van Doornum, who was punched out three times on the night and left six runners on base, including the bases loaded in the fifth.

The two teams meet again today at 6:35 p.m. Matt Sisto (3-3, 6.96 ERA) is expected to start for Hawaii opposite Gonzaga's Ryan Carpenter (1-3, 7.80).

HAWAII 3, GONZAGA 1

E—Wilson 2, Ortiz. DP—Hawaii 1, Gonzaga 1. LOB—Hawaii 10; Gonzaga 9. 2b—Edman. HBP—Hawaii: Garcia. Gonzaga: Ortiz. SB—Heid.

WP—Slaats, Phillips. HBP—by Slaats (Ortiz); by Martin (Garcia).

T—3:18. A—1,521.