No. 23 Hawai'i resumes Western Athletic Conference play today at a place that has been historically tough on visitors. And it's not the casinos.

Peccole Park in Reno, Nev., home of the Nevada Wolf Pack (14-16 overall, 3-1 WAC), has been unkind to the Rainbows (20-10, 3-1). Since Nevada joined the WAC for the 2001 season, the Rainbows are 4-18 at Peccole. They have lost five in a row there, all in 2007, when the Rainbows were swept in a three-game series during the regular season then fell to the Wolf Pack twice in the WAC tournament. Hawai'i has won one series there, in 2006, the best of UH coach Mike Trapasso's previous seven seasons.

With the conference season shortened to 24 games — one four-game series against each WAC member — every series is crucial. This series is magnified in that both, along with New Mexico State, share the conference lead. The Rainbows won their WAC series against San Jose State last weekend, while the Wolf Pack did the same at Louisiana Tech.

Hawai'i will stay with its same front three starting pitchers. Reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week Jayson Kramer (2-3, 3.00 ERA) will start tonight, preseason WAC Pitcher of the Year Jared Alexander (0-1, 5.87), coming off three consecutive rough starts, is scheduled for tomorrow, and freshman Matt Sisto (3-2, 3.26) will go the nine-inning first game of Saturday's doubleheader. Who ever is available after the three games will start the seven-inning second game, Trapasso said.

Like San Jose State, Nevada will give the Rainbows a dose of left-handers up front in Brock Stassi (4-3, 3.73), who starts tonight, followed by Chris Garcia (2-3, 5.40) tomorrow. Like UH, UN will open the doubleheader with a freshman right-hander in Jayson McClaren (1-0, 4.08) and close it with right-hander Derek Achelpohl (2-3, 3.81).

The good news for UH is right-hander Nate Klein made the trip. He might be available for an inning of relief. He hasn't pitched since a March 13 start against Loyola Marymount because of a tender forearm.

"He's thrown two bullpens and looked really good," Trapasso said. "We'll throw one more and start mixing some pitches. He's been pain-free completely. He's definitely close."

Nevada's offense is similar to UH's in that it doesn't have any gaudy stats. The Wolf Pack's .269 batting average is just above UH's .247, which is last among the seven-team conference.

Catcher Travis Simas, the reigning WAC Hitter of the Week, is second on the club with a .337 batting average and shares the team lead with outfielder Matt Bowman with five home runs. Nick Melino, who shares time with Bowman in left field, leads the team with a .346 batting average. Junior first baseman Shaun Kort continues to be one of the team's most productive hitters with a team-leading 26 RBIs.

The only Hawai'i tie the Wolf Pack have is 2007 Kamehameha Schools graduate Waylen Sing Chow, a sophomore outfielder. He has played in 24 games, mostly coming in as a pinch runner or late-inning defensive replacement.

The series will be broadcast live on ESPN 1420 AM.