Newcomer Jared Alexander overcame first-inning jitters, tossing eight scoreless innings to help Hawai'i-Manoa beat Hawai'i-Hilo, 9-2, yesterday.

The Rainbows (2-0) clinched the three-game series from the Vulcans (0-2) before 754 at Les Murakami Stadium.

Alexander (1-0), primarily a relief pitcher at Cosumnes River JC last season, walked two of the first four batters he faced in his Division I debut in a 26-pitch first inning. He escaped harm in the first and settled down the next seven innings, finishing with 96 pitches.

"I was surprised," the 6-foot-3, 185-pound junior right-hander said of lasting eight inning. "But I had a a couple innings where I (threw) seven pitches, so that helped me along."

Alexander admitted he was nervous early, having made only one start in 21 appearances last year.

Still, UH coach Mike Trapasso was a bit baffled because Alexander had shown better control in scrimmages.

"He's a strike-thrower and lives by four-pitch command," Trapasso said. "He didn't have that initially, not throwing like he's capable of. I think he settled down, got his heart rate back to a normal rate and really pitched well the rest of the way."

Alexander gave up five hits and the two walks while striking out three. Redshirt freshman left-hander Sam Spangler pitched the ninth, allowing two runs after inheriting a 9-0 lead because of a six-run eighth.

When he settled down, Alexander said he was able to command his fastball and other pitches.

"I was able to pound my slider for strikes and I was able to throw my changeup very well today," he said.

Alexander had to find his command because UHH starter Joe Davis (0-1) was making life hard on the Manoa hitters. He gave up three runs, five hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

"You could tell he was just trying to find his rhythm," UHH coach Joey Estrella said. "He had to adjust to some of the pitches that he would throw. I felt very good (about his performance).

"But all the credit has to go to Alexander. ... We hit the ball hard, but they were right at people, but he comes back and throws another strike."

It wasn't until later in the game that the 'Bows padded their lead. Vinnie Catricala hit a lead-off home run to left in the seventh inning. UH then sent 10 batters to the plate in a six-run eighth to seal the game. Jon Hee ignited the inning with a two-run home run to left-center, his first four-bagger in 434 career at-bats.

"It felt good to find the barrel," Hee said. "I wasn't getting solid contact (today), even (last) night. It felt nice to hit the ball hard."

Freshman left fielder Sean Montplaisir added a two-run single and Matt Roquemore had a pinch-hit two-run double to cap the eighth.

The Rainbows got to Davis in the bottom of the first. Hee led off by walking on four pitches. After stealing second on a missed bunt attempt by Derek DuPree, Hee scored on DuPree's flare double down the left-field line. An out later, DuPree scored on Kevin Macdonald's ground single to right to make it 2-0.

But between then and Catricala's seventh-inning homer, the Rainbows struggled at the plate, hitting into three inning-ending double plays.

"I'm really disappointed overall because we showed a lack of toughness in not being able to put things away," Trapasso said. "You let people hang around and bad things can happen. We jump out to a 2-0 lead and then it's like our toughness went away. That's going to get you beat. We have a lot of work to do. We have a lot of growing up and maturing to do as a team."

The series concludes at 1:05 p.m. today. The Rainbows will send right-hander Alex Capaul against Vulcans left-hander Kekoa Lee, a Moanalua High graduate, in a battle of true freshmen. Lee started at DH yesterday.

It's been a rough series for the Vulcans, who were concerned with depth at the outset. Catcher Matt Haasenritter missed yesterday's game after leaving Friday's game in the second inning, aggravating a knee injury that sidelined him all last season. Estrella said Haasenritter will be examined when the team returns to Hilo. Peter Rodgers, who started Friday in right field, has been doing the catching.

The Vulcans also started the week with the passing of Jesse Yamashita, a sophomore outfielder and 2005 Waiakea High graduate.

"He was so well-liked by the team," Estrella said. "The disbelief, the shock. It's still hard to believe.

"What we look at is how he played and we can remember all the positive things he did and he befriended a lot of people on the team, so that kind of gives you some motivation. The motivation is Jesse would want us to play (hard)."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.