Hawai'i's night was basically summed up in the eighth inning in its 8-4 loss to Nevada last night.

After scoring three runs to cut its seven-run deficit to 8-4, Chase Koissian swung at a three-balls, no-strikes pitch with a runner at third and grounded out.

"That was a microcosm of the game," UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

Indeed.

Hawai'i pitcher Josh Slaats had his worst and shortest outing of the season, lasting just two-plus innings. Slaats (4-3) gave up six runs, three hits and four walks.

"He couldn't command the fastball," Trapasso said. "He had no feel for it. Everything was up. It's about as bad a pitching performance you will see from us.

"And the bullpen for the most part, kept us in the game. It's just a shame. It had to be an awful game for our fans to watch."

A crowd of 1,985 at Les Murakami Stadium saw the Rainbows remain in last in the seven-team Western Athletic Conference, 6 1/2 games behind first-place New Mexico State, which beat Louisiana Tech, 11-10.

In all, UH pitching allowed seven walks and two hit batsmen, as well as nine hits, five for extra bases.

There was another woe as well.

Hawai'i (21-21 overall, 4-9 WAC) lost an inning-ending double play when first baseman Kevin Macdonald failed to touch first base after fielding a grounder off the bat of Garrett Yrigoyen, so instead UH had to settle for a force at home for just the second out. That was followed by a two-run double by Michael Turay on a hanging curveball and the Wolf Pack (23-15-1, 4-4-1) increased its lead to 7-1.

"That was big because Turay's double killed us," Trapasso said. "But we get the guy at home, we have to get the next guy out. We hang a curveball, he hits it for a double. Now, all of a sudden, they've got separation."

But UH's eighth inning said it all. Just pulling to within 8-4 after pinch hitter Sean Montplaisir's two-run triple, Koissian ran a 3-0 count against Jesse Rasner, who just entered the game for Jayson McClaren, who gave up three consecutive hits after striking out the first two batters of the inning.

"He thought the count was 2-1," Trapasso said of Koissian swinging on 3-0. "He swears he heard the umpire call one of those pitches a strike, so he thought it was a 2-1 count."

Nevada left-hander Chris Garcia (5-2) allowed a run, five hits and four walks, while striking out a season-high nine in seven innings.

It was left fielder Waylen Sing Chow, a Kamehameha Schools alumnus, who ignited the Wolf Pack's four-run second, when he made Slaats pay for a one-out walk and hit batsman by delivering an RBI double to right-center to give Nevada a 1-0 lead. Sing Chow was starting for Brock Stassi, who had a calf injury from being hit by a pitch last week.

"It was an unexpected start," Sing Chow said. "Glad I got to make use of my opportunity."

Sing Chow said he had about 40 family and friends in attendance.

The four-game series resumes today with a doubleheader starting at 3:05 p.m.