Freshman Matt Daly pitched six strong innings to help Hawai'i roll past Western Illinois, 11-1, yesterday in a game called off with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning because of a mutually agreed upon 10-run differential mercy rule.

The Rainbows (17-6) won their fourth game of the five-game series, while the Leathernecks (2-13) have not won since winning their first two games of the season.

Justin Frash's two-out, two-run single in the seventh put the rule into effect, as the umpires called the game much to the surprise of the 873 at Les Murakami Stadium. The mercy rule is common in high school and youth leagues, as well as in the World Baseball Classic. But there was no prior notice that such a policy was in effect for this series, which ends with a fifth game at 6:35 tonight.

"We had the mercy rule in effect for nine-inning games the whole series," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "Five games in four days, if either team's up by 10, why waste pitching for the next couple innings."

The Leathernecks have scored five runs in the four games. The first two games of the series were close with 3-2 and 5-1 scores. Saturday's second game was 7-1, but as the second game of a doubleheader it had been previously advertised as a seven-inning game.

Meanwhile, Daly (3-0) made the most of his starting debut. He gave up two hits and two walks, while striking out four. The only run he allowed was unearned. In the fourth, Travis Check singled, stole second and third, scoring on freshman catcher Landon Hernandez's throwing error to third on the play. Tyler Johnson walked, but Mike Triumph grounded into a double play. Without the error, Check would have been stranded on third after the double play, rendering the run unearned.

"He was outstanding," Trapasso said of Daly. "He threw strikes, he forced contact and he was on top of his game. I think we'll expect more starts out of him before the year's out."

Before yesterday, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound right-hander from Yorba Linda, Calif., made seven relief appearances totaling 17 2/3 innings, most of them highly effective. Yesterday, he got off to an inauspicious start, when he walked the first batter he faced on four pitches. He also walked another batter in the inning, but still got out unscathed.

"More exciting than anything," Daly said of his first-inning struggle. "After that, I had a pretty good groove from the second inning."

He said his slider was particularly effective.

"I could throw it for a strike and I could throw the curveball for a strike, so that was good," he said.

"He's consistently in the 90s (mph range for his fastball) and he's got a pretty dirty slider," batterymate Hernandez said. "It really breaks late. It's deceiving."

Except for the first inning, when he used 21 pitches, Daly was economical, finishing with 76 pitches. Keahi Rawlins pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing a walk and striking out one.

The Rainbows tagged three WIU pitchers. Starter Aaron Madill (0-3) gave up five runs (four earned) in four innings.

Joe Spiers and Frash each had three RBIs. Hernandez was 3 for 4 with an RBI.

Besides Daly, Trapasso started two other freshmen in Hernandez and shortstop Nathan Young, who was 0 for 2, but scored twice. Trapasso said the extended series allowed him to play some who have had limited action.

"Five games in four days, that's a lot," Trapasso said. "The reason (for the long series) is to get guys out there before conference starts."

The Rainbows begin Western Athletic Conference play Friday with a three-game series here against Louisiana Tech.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.