These Western Athletic Conference doubleheaders have become a test of wills and strategy for Hawai'i.

The Rainbows used a collaborative pitching effort and good defense to hold off New Mexico State, 5-1, in last night's second game to split a WAC doubleheader. The Aggies won the opener, 9-3.

A crowd of 2,195 watched the Rainbows (16-21 overall, 8-8 WAC) win their second consecutive conference series in as many weekends. They are in sole possession of fourth place at exactly the halfway point of the conference season. Also, the win marked UH coach Mike Trapasso's 200th career coaching victory.

"It definitely gives us a lot of confidence playing the way we want to play, being able to execute, being able to get runners on, get runs early," UH senior center fielder Brandon Haislet said. "Hopefully, we can keep it up and look forward to (Nevada) Reno coming up."

The Rainbows play the Wolf Pack (8-4) starting Friday.

Hawai'i was as different as night and day. The 'Bows struggled through the first game, committing two errors and failing to generate any kind of sustained offense. But they played better defense in the second game, while the Aggies faltered with three errors that accounted for three unearned runs.

"We came out taking those first two games (Thursday and Friday) for granted, going through the motions and doing the same thing," Trapasso said. "We can't do that. Our success is defined by pitching, defense, execution and it all starts with focus and high energy. If we don't have that energy, we're not going to be successful."

As for strategy, the taking-games-one-at-a time cliche doesn't apply. Trapasso had to decide how he was going to use his pitchers in the opener because it was going to determine how he'd use them in the second game. In the opener, Josh Schneider was into his sixth inning of work, when he allowed a three-run home run to Joseph Scaperotta that basically was the proverbial nail in the coffin.

Schneider was well over 90 pitches at that point. Trapasso admitted he considered bringing in the right-handed Alex Myers, yes, the first baseman, to face the left-handed Scaperotta. But being that it would be Myers' first appearance as a pitcher, Trapasso didn't want him to enter the game in that situation. Also, being that there was a second game to consider and the UH bats weren't exactly looking alive, he stuck with Schneider.

"That's what these crazy doubleheaders are doing to you," Trapasso said. "You really have to look at how Game 2 is, if you're not within striking distance in Game 1. These doubleheaders change the whole dynamic of what you're doing pitching-wise."

He staffed the nightcap to give the Aggies' hitters different looks and it paid off as five UH pitchers held their opponents to a run and five hits.

For the record, Myers pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out one.

NMSU 9, UH 3 (FIRST)

In the opener, NMSU starter Heath Goin pitched seven strong innings and was backed by a 10-hit attack that included home runs by Chris Auten and Scaperotta.

Goin (4-1) allowed three runs, only one earned, five hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Dillon Smith finished the game with two scoreless innings.

Josh Slaats (0-4) labored from the start, lasting only 2 1/3 innings, giving up four runs (three earned), four hits and two walks with one strikeout. Schneider tried to settle the game, but to no avail, giving up five runs (four earned), three in his final inning of work, when he served up Scaperotta's three-run home run to right that cleared the back wall. It was Scaperotta's 13th homer of the season.

UH 5, NMSU 1 (SECOND)

Junior college transfer Alex Bates, a right-hander, made his season debut since developing tendinitis in his elbow just before the season opener. He started and pitched two scoreless innings, using primarily his fastball and slider. He struck out three, while allowing a hit and a walk.

"It was good to see Bates go out there and get some innings for us because we're going to need him," Trapasso said.

"Honestly, I was a little nervous," said Bates. "This whole series, I didn't know when I was going to get in. It just felt good to finally get that first pitch."

Cory Kahn (2-0), who helped UH with 4 1/3 innings of relief in last week's 12-5 win against San Jose State, pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, the longest stint among the four relievers used. Freshmen Sam Spangler (two-thirds of an inning) and Alex Capaul (two innings) set up Jayson Kramer, who closed with a perfect ninth.

Trapasso was pleased that Kahn was able to go long again. Kahn, who said he was used to being a closer, said he relishes his responsibility as a long reliever.

"I really like the way the coaches are using me right now," Kahn said. "I'm just trying to get the job done, keep our team in it, give ourselves a chance to win the ball game."

The Rainbows scored two runs without the benefit of a hit in the second inning, when there was an error, three walks, two wild pitches and a hit batsman.

They scored again in the sixth despite failing to execute a sacrifice attempt when a walk, an error, a bunt single by Kevin Fujii and a bases-loaded walk to Haislet plated another unearned run to make it 3-0.