Tim Wheeler's first-inning grand slam lifted Sacramento State over Hawai'i, 6-4, today in the first game of a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader at Hornet Field in Sacramento, Calif.

Trevor York (1-4) went seven-plus innings, allowing three runs and 10 hits with three strikeouts for the Hornets (8-14 overall, 3-3 WAC). Tommy Elrod pitched a scoreless eighth and Brandon Sandobal allowed a run in the ninth.

Nick Rhodes (1-3), the reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week, went just 2 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, four hits and two walks with no strikeouts for UH (9-17, 2-4).

Second baseman Taylor Watanabe (Aiea 2003) went 3 for 5 for the Hornets.

The Hornets slammed the Rainbows in the first inning. Watanabe led off with a single, Ryan Blair walked and both advanced when David Flores grounded out to third. Gabe Jacobo was intentionally walked to load the bases. Wes Oberlin grounded back to Rhodes for a force at home to keep the bases loaded, setting up Wheeler's grand slam to right to give the Hornets a 4-0 lead.

The Rainbows pulled to 4-1 in the fourth. Pinch hitter Evan Zimny singled to start the inning and beat a throw to second when Brandon Haislet reached first on a grounder to short for a fielder's choice. After Jeff Van Doornum struck out, Haislet was caught off first after breaking away from first on a pitch in the dirt that didn't get far from the catcher, as Zimny held second. Kevin Macdonald followed with an RBI single to center and took second on the throw home, but was left there when Shane Hoey.

Hawai'i added a run in the sixth. With two outs, Haislet singled to short, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Van Doornum's single to center to pull UH to 4-2.

Sacramento State added a run in the sixth. Wes Oberlin led off with a bunt single and one out later took third on Blake Crosby's double. Jeff Hannah reached first on catcher Kevin Fujii's throwing error to load the bases. After Brett Tanigawa struck out, Watanabe's RBI single made it 5-2; the runner on second was thrown out trying to score on the play to end the inning.

The Rainbows got a run in the eighth when Van Doornum grounded into a force at second with the bases loaded to pull UH to 5-3.

But the Hornets negated that run with one in the bottom of the eighth. Wheeler led off with a single, took second on Derrick Chung's sacrifice and scored on Jeff Hannah's single to center to make it 6-3.

Hawai'i got a run in the ninth on an RBI single by Ryan Morford, but left two runners on base.