RENO, Nev. — Hawai'i's pitching lacked command and it paid for it dearly last night in its Western Athletic Conference tournament opener.

Second-seeded Nevada crushed three home runs and three run-scoring doubles to power past the fifth-seeded Rainbows, 11-1, in a game called after the top of the seventh because of the tournament's 10-run differential mercy rule before 1,112 at Peccole Park.

The Rainbows (33-24) will be the visiting team against sixth-seeded Sacramento State (17-39) in the first elimination game of the tournament at 8 a.m., Hawai'i time, today. Hawai'i, which made it to the tournament championship before losing to Fresno State last year, is on the brink of having its season end. The Rainbows won the regular-season series against the Hornets, taking 2 of 3 at Sacramento.

On a night when Nevada starter Ryan Rodriguez — the reigning WAC Pitcher of the Year — was at his finest, the Rainbows had no answer from their own starter Ian Harrington.

"He just didn't have it," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "He didn't have command of any of his pitches."

Harrington (7-8) last just two-plus innings, giving up four runs, albeit unearned, on four hits, while striking out one. While a throwing error by third baseman Justin Frash put the first batter on in the second inning and made the four runs unearned, Harrington hit a batter and served up a three-run home run by Jason Sadoin.

It all came after the Rainbows had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a double steal with Kris Sanchez breaking for home after Brandon Haislet broke for second.

"Harrington, for example, tonight, we knew he was going to try to get ahead of us with his fastball," Sadoin said. "Our plan was to attack fastball when we got it."

The way Rodriguez (9-6) was throwing, Trapasso knew it was going to be all uphill. He had to bring in Matt Daly in the third after Harrington gave up a lead-off single to Shaun Kort.

While Daly was able to strand Kort, he labored with control in the fourth. He walked two, including Matt Suleski to start the inning. After he was sacrificed to second, Daly's wild pitch sent Suleski to third, where he scored on David Ciarlo's sacrifice fly to center to increase the Wolf Pack's lead to 5-1.

Daly threw 36 pitches, which during the season meant he would unlikely be available the next day. But Trapasso said he could be brought in today.

He brought in Jeff Soskin, who had been effective lately despite being seldom used most of the season. But like the predecessors, Soskin didn't have command either. He allowed a walk in Nevada's four-run fifth that scored on Dan Eastham's sacrifice fly, which was then followed by successive RBI-doubles from Suleski, Owen Mackedon and Ciarlo. The only thing preventing another run was a diving catch by left fielder Derek DuPree on Sadoin's sinking drive.

Soskin then gave up back-to-back homers to Jason Rodriguez and Kort to start the sixth and was pulled for another seldom-used reliever in Cameron Wheeler, who retired all three batters he faced.

"Soskin had been throwing well the last three, four weeks," Trapasso said. "That one just blew up in my face. But Daly wasn't throwing well. He didn't have command and he was high in pitch count."

As for Harrington, it's been a far cry from a season ago, when he was one of the hottest pitchers in the conference down the stretch. He won his last five decisions last year. Last night was his shortest outing of the season since he went 1 1/3 on Feb. 1 against Georgia Southern. In two of his previous four starts before last night, he also never got past the fourth, going 3 1/3 at New Mexico State and 2 2/3 last weekend against Fresno State.

"He's just struggled," Trapasso said.

Mark Rodrigues (9-3) will start today's game for UH with just about everyone available for relief, including Daly and Harrington (45 pitches), in the do-or-die game.

Meanwhile, the Wolf Pack are in pretty good shape for today's game against the San Jose Spartans, who took 2 of 3 from Nevada last weekend. The shortened game because of the mercy rule and Rodriguez's complete game means Nevada's arms are well-rested.

Sanchez's steal of home — aided by a high throw to second that sailed into right-center field that allowed Haislet to take third — was the only run the Rainbows could muster against the right-hander.

The Rainbows managed to get runners at second and third with two outs in the fourth, but Rodriguez got Vinnie Catricala out on strikes to strand the runners. Rodriguez gave up a run on six hits with seven strikeouts. He used only 85 pitches.

"We knew he would be aggressive with his fastball and was going to throw his slider anytime in the count," Trapasso said.

"I just tried to hit my spots," Rodriguez said of his outing. "Everytime I hit it somewhere, it worked out."

It was the third time UH faced Rodriguez this season. He improved to 2-1.

Hawai'i players requested for postgame interviews did not attend the press conference.

The Wolf Pack (33-24) will face fourth-seeded San Jose State (33-24) at 4 p.m., HST.

"We had a real tough weekend at their place," Nevada coach Gary Powers said of the Spartans. "They might be the hottest team in this tournament."

SAN JOSE STATE 11, LOUISIANA TECH 1

Chris Balatico, a Mililani High alum, drove in three runs to help the Spartans pound the Bulldogs. The game was called after seven innings because of the tournament's 10-run differential mercy rule.

"It's just everything coming together," said Balatico, who was 2 for 5. "We've been battling team issues all year. It's just now everybody's stepped it up. When everybody steps up, we're dangerous."

FRESNO STATE 10, SACRAMENTO STATE 2

Brian Lapin drove in four runs and Clayton Allison pitched a complete game for the Bulldogs (33-27). Allison (10-4) allowed two runs, seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts for FSU.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.