Devon Dageford drove in three runs, including a two-run triple in a five-run fifth to help Louisiana Tech roll over Hawai'i, 8-4, tonight to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Athletic Conference series before 3,459 — the largest crowd of the season — at Les Murakami Stadium.

John Anderson (6-2) gave up three runs (two earned), seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings for the Bulldogs (25-18 overall, 10-9 WAC), who move past the Rainbows in the WAC standings by a half game.

Dageford, who was 3 for 5, was a single shy of completing the cycle. He had a solo homer in the fourth and a double in the ninth, but also was all or nothing, as he struck out the two times he didn't get a hit.

Nate Klein (1-3), who threw six shutout innings at New Mexico State last weekend, was tagged for eight runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings for the Rainbows (26-19, 9-9), who have dropped four in a row, their longest skid of the season.

The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Chris Kersten led off with a triple to center and scored when Alex Williams grounded out to second. An out later, Kyle Roliard singled down the left field line, but was gunned down trying for second on the throw from left fielder Sean Montplaisir to second baseman Ryan Morford.

Hawai'i tied it in the bottom of the second. Kevin Macdonald singled to third and reached second on third baseman Mark Threlkeld's throwing error on the play. Kolten Wong popped out to shortstop, but Landon Hernandez's ground single to center scored Macdonald.

The Rainbows took the lead in the third. Sean Montplaisir opened with a single to right before Matt Roquemore flied out to left. Morford's double to left-enter scored Montplaisir to make it 2-1.

The Bulldogs went deep twice to regain the lead. Devon Dageford's solo home run to left-center tie it at 2. An out later, Williams' solo homer to right-center off the flag pole nearest the scoreboard put LaTech up 3-2.

Macdonald led off the bottom of the fourth with a homer to center — his 12th the season, tying him with John Matias for third all-time on the school's single-season list — to tie the game at 3. An out later, Hernandez was hit by a pitch, but was forced at second when Easton Torigoe hit a liner to second baseman Kevin Winn, who dropped the ball, but managed to get his throw to second for the force. Torigoe went to second on a wild pitch before Montplaisir walked. Roquemore singled to right, but Torigoe was thrown out at the plate on the throw from the right fielder Dageford to the catcher Clint Ewing.

LaTech sent nine batters up in a five-run sixth to break the deadlock. Roliard led off with a single, but was forced at second when Ewing reached on a fielder's choice bunt to the pitcher. Patrick Thomas' single to center moved Ewing to second. Nick Gruenenwald's single to center scored Ewing and sent Thomas to third. Gruenenwald went to second on the throw to third. Winn's single to right scored Thomas and moved Gruenenwald to third, putting LaTech up 5-3. Dageford tripled to right-center to make it 7-3, chasing Klein for Jesse Moore. Kersten greeted Moore with a double to right to make it 8-3.

Hawai'i got a run in the seventh. Garcia reached on a bunt single between first and second and took second when Catricala walked on four pitches. Macdonald lined out to the left fielder Thomas in left-center. Wong bunted and reached on pitcher Jefferson's throwing error to first to load the bases. Jefferson was pulled for Graham Meyers. Garcia scored and Catricala went to third on Hernandez's sacrifice fly to right to make it 8-4 before Torigoe struck out.