For the sixth time this season, Hawai'i will have to go into the fourth game to try to win a Western Athletic Conference series.

The Rainbows split a doubleheader with Sacramento State, taking the opener, 3-1 behind the superb pitching of Nick Rhodes, but lost the nightcap, 7-3.

Still, the third-place Rainbows (23-25 overall, 15-12 WAC) gained a game on first-place Fresno State, which was swept by New Mexico State yesterday, pulling to within two games, while Nevada split the first two games of its series with Louisiana Tech to pull to within 1 1/2 games of FSU.

Of the five previous series UH entered the fourth game needing to win to take the series, it has won three times.

"I think we're going to be fine," said UH third baseman Vinnie Catricala, who not only had a 15-game hitting streak snapped when he grounded into a game-ending double play in the nightcap, but also was involved in two controversial plays — one resulting in the ejection of UH coach Mike Trapasso — that drew the ire of most of the 1,024 at Les Murakami Stadium. "We're going to come out 'Sunday tough.' That's what coach (Trapasso) preaches about. We've been 'Sunday tough' a majority of the time."

But there are other concerns for the Rainbows. Friday starter Jared Alexander had a magnetic resonance imaging done yesterday, but UH is awaiting a diagnosis, Trapasso said. Alexander is scheduled to see his doctor tomorrow.

Also, Alex Bates was scheduled to start last night's second game, but was scratched because of tenderness in his throwing arm that he has experienced since his outing at Louisiana Tech, Trapasso said. Tendinitis issues made him miss the first half of the season.

UH 3, SACRAMENTO ST. 1

Rhodes (4-4) delivered his team-leading third complete game, allowing a run, six hits and a walk with four strikeouts in the opener.

"He was awesome," Trapasso said. "To go CG, holding this team to one run is an outstanding effort. It was one we needed. It saved our bullpen."

Catricala was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, driving in the tying run and insurance run. Kevin Macdonald also went 3 for 4 and Jeff Van Doornum went 2 for 4 with a double and two runs.

The Hornets staked their starter Trevor York (4-5) to a 1-0 lead in the sixth. The only walk Rhodes allowed was cashed in on a David Flores' RBI single that scored Taylor Watanabe ('Aiea '03).

But the Rainbows responded in the bottom of the sixth with Catricala's RBI single and Landon Hernandez's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded. Two innings earlier, Hernandez grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases full.

Hawai'i insured its lead in the eighth, when Van Doornum led off with a double, took third on Macdonald's single and scored on Catricala's flare single to left-center that make it 3-1.

Rhodes was efficient, using 103 pitches, netting 13 grounders for outs, including a double play.

SACRAMENTO ST. 7, UH 3

Left-hander Brian Smith (3-1) threw seven innings, allowing a run, five hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Trevor Paine pitched a perfect eighth, but Brandon Sandoval gave up two runs on four hits to start the UH ninth before being bailed out by Jeff Roth, who got Catricala on a grounder to short for a game-ending double play.

Smith's performance and a three-run, first-inning home run by Wes Oberlin was what the Hornets needed to stop an eight-game losing streak.

"We needed somebody to get us into the seventh inning," Hornets coach John Smith said. "We haven't been doing that the last four games ... Every time we've been successful, our starting pitching has gotten us into the seventh, when we can maneuver that bullpen the way we need to do it."

Oberlin's homer off UH starter Matt Daly (5-3) gave the pitcher Smith an early cushion.

"That was key, being able to get on the board early and kind of set the tone for what we wanted to do," coach Smith said.

Daly could not find the command he had when he was successful at Louisiana Tech last weekend. Besides giving up the first-inning homer, he walked four. He went 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs and nine hits with three strikeouts.

"First inning was key," Trapasso said. "Daly wasn't good. He's really thrown well for us the last couple of weeks, but he just came out flat, up in the zone and you can't do that against these guys. They weren't going to roll over. They lost eight in a row at that point and they came out with fire."

The game featured some bizarre moments drawing the ire of the fans.

In the Hornets' fourth, with one out and a runner at first, Hunter Martinez hit a grounder ticketed for shortstop Jon Hee. But base umpire Dan Mascorro could not get out of the way in time and was struck by the ball for a single.

In the Hornets' fifth with runners at first and second and none out, Oberlin hit a grounder to third baseman Catricala near the foul line but in fair territory. He touched the bag for one out, fired to second for another. Whether it was going to end up a triple play became irrelevant when home plate umpire Steve Corvi ruled the hit foul.

Trapasso argued and was ejected. He declined comment on the calls.

In the UH fifth, Catricala popped up along the first base line, where the pitcher Smith dropped the ball in fair territory as Catricala was passing him. Catricala was called out for interference.

UH pitching coach Chad Konishi argued to no avail.