Hawai'i broke out of big-time hitting slump with a 10-run fifth to rally past No. 26 Mississippi State, 10-5, today before 1,172 at Les Murakami Stadium to give the Rainbows a 2-1 lead in the four-game series.

Vinnie Catricala ignited the inning with a two-run double and Kevin Macdonald capped it with a three-run double to pace UH's 14-hit attack.

Harrison Kuroda (2-0) benefitted from the rally by being at the right place at the right time for UH (5-6). He allowed five runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief for Jared Alexander, making his second start of the season on a limited pitch count, pitched four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out five.

Connor Little added 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief with six strikeouts to wrapped it up for UH.

Justin Bussey (1-1) was tagged for seven runs, six hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning for the Bulldogs (8-3).

Kuroda started the fifth for Alexander and labored. He started the inning by hitting Scott DeLoach, who then took second on Ryan Powers' sacrifice. Ryan Collins walked and Grant Hogue walked to load the bases, setting up Luke Adkins' grand slam to right-center to give MSU a 4-0 lead.

The Rainbows 15 batters to the plate in a 10-run fifth. Greg Garcia led off with a single to right-center and took second on Kolten Wong's bunt single along first. Vinnie Catricala then doubled to right-center to score both runners to pull UH to 4-2 and chase MSU starter Forrest Moore, a left-hander, for Justin Bussey, a right-hander. Kevin Macdonald, who was 2 for 2 against Moore, walked on four pitches. Shane Hoey was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Jeffrey Van Doornum followed with a two-run ground single to left to tie the game at 4, but Hoey was thrown out at third. Van Doornum then took third on a hit-and-run single to left by Landon Hernandez. With runners at the corners, Joshua Chevalier's RBi single to left moved Hernandez to second and put UH ahead, 5-4. Chase Koissian struck out, but Garcia singled to left to load the bases. Wong's two-run single to right made 7-4, and right fielder Collins' fielding error allowed Garcia to take third and Wong to move to second. Catricala was hit by a pitch to load the bases to set up Macdonald's three-run double to left that made it 10-4. Bussey was pulled for Davin Jones. Hoey walked to put runners at first and second before Van Doornum lined out to right after a 12-pitch at-bat to end the inning.

The 10-run inning was the most for UH since it posted 12 on March 16, 1985 in the eighth inning against Murray State.

The Bulldogs got one back in the seventh to pull to 10-5. With one out, Jason Nappi doubled to left-center and scored on pinch hitter Brent Brownlee's double to right-center, ending Kuroda's day for Connor Little. Adkins struck out, but Connor Powers walked. Duffy struck out to end the inning.