Hawai'i sent nine batters to the plate in a four-run top of the 15th inning to outlast San Jose State, 10-8, tonight to take the first game of the four-game Western Athletic Conference series at Municipal Stadium in San Jose, Calif.

The game lasted four hours, 50 minutes.

In the top of the 15th, Derek DuPree singled to short off Anthony Vega and took second on Jon Hee's sacrifice. Brandon Haislet was intentionally walked after Vega fell behind 2-0. Jeff Van Doornum struck out for the second out. But Kevin Macdonald reached on a single to third. On the play, third baseman Kyle Bellows tried to get DuPree, who took a wide turn. But when DuPree was safe, Bellows' throw to second was errant, allowing DuPree to score the go-ahead run. Kevin Macdonald and Landon Hernandez each had RBI singles to make it 9-6. A single by Greg Garcia and an error on the play allowed another run to score to make it 10-6.

The Spartans got a two-run single by John Shaffer in the bottom of the 15th to pull within two with tying run at first base.

Matt Daly (4-2) allowed two runs in four innings of relief for the Rainbows (11-19 overall, 3-6 WAC).

Vega (1-2) pitched two innings of relief for the Spartans (14-11, 5-7)

Neither starter figured in the decision. UH's Jared Alexander gave up five runs and nine hits with four strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings, while SJSU's David Berner was pounded for six runs, 10 hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

The Rainbows took a 1-0 lead in the second without batting a ball out of the infield. Kevin Macdonald led off with a bunt single and Landon Hernandez walked. Vinnie Catricala reached first safely when he grounded to second for a force at second to put runners at the corners. Greg Garcia also reached first safely when he hit a grounder to the pitcher for a force at second that allowed Macdonald to score before Sean Montplaisir grounded out to second to end the inning.

Hawai'i made it 2-0 in the third. Jon Hee and Brandon Haislet reached on back-to-back singles. Haislet was forced at second on Jeff Van Doornum's fielder's choice grounder to second to put runners at the corners. Macdonald followed with an RBI single to lef that sent Van Doornum to third; Macdonald took second on the throw home.

The Rainbows got another run in the sixth. Macdonald walked with one out and went to second on Landon Hernandez's single to left. Catricala

followed with an RBI single to center that sent Hernandez to third. Greg Garcia reached on a fielder's choice bunt back to the mound on a failed squeeze in which Hernandez was out at home before Montplaisir grounded out to second to end the inning with UH increasing its lead to 3-0.

The Spartans got on the board in the sixth. With two outs, Kyle Bellows doubled and scored on Corey Valine's single off first baseman Macdonald to pull SJSU to 3-1.

But the Rainbows got three in the seventh, chasing Berner in the process. Derek DuPree singled, took second on Hee's sacrifice and Haislet was intentionally walked. Van Doornum singled to right to load the bases to set up Macdonald's two-run single that ended Berner's night for Christopher MnNeil. Hernandez doubled to left to score Van Doornum to make it 6-1.

The Spartans tied the game at 6 by sending nine batters to the plate in a five-run seventh. Anthony Aguilera led off with a single and scored on Alex Sofranac's double to center. Pinch hitter Tommy Gale struck out and John Shaffer grounded out to first, moving Sofranac to third. But Craig Hertler was hit by a pitch and Bellows singled to right to score Sofranac to make it 6-3. Hertler took third and Bellows advanced to second on the throw home on the play. Alexander was pulled for Jayson Kramer to face Valine. whose two-run single made it 6-5. Valine stole second and scored to tie the game at 6 when Jason Martin reached first on Kramer's throwing error.