It will be a battle of who can command home plate when Hawai'i takes on New Mexico State in this weekend's Western Athletic Conference series.

The Rainbows (13-20 overall, 5-7 WAC) have the pitchers, at least the veterans, who can command the strike zone, while the Aggies (15-16, 4-4) have the hitters who can do the same.

New Mexico State has drawn 188 walks in 30 games (not including last night's game against Hawai'i Pacific) for an average of 6.3 per game. The Aggies' on-base percentage is .427. While their team batting average of .311 and slugging percentage of .521, as well as a team earned run average of 8.17, might be a result of playing in high altitude at home, drawing walks isn't.

"That's Gary Ward's hitting philosophy," UH coach Mike Trapasso said of the Aggies' coach. "They're very patient offensively. They can really create a big inning if you don't throw strikes."

The Ranbows will send their two-best control pitchers tonight and tomorrow in Jared Alexander (13 walks in 56 innings) and Nick Rhodes (13 in 36 2/3), respectively. But freshmen Alex Capaul and Josh Slaats — they made starts in last week's series at San Jose State — have combined for 11 walks in 8 1/3 innings. They haven't been pegged as starters yet for this series. Trapasso said starters for Saturday's doubleheader will be determined by who is available that day.

"Our walks have been way down, except for the game on Sunday (that Capaul started)," Trapasso said. "Our walks have been a lot better recently, but with any young staff, command is always a concern."

The Rainbows bolstered their pitching depth with JC transfer Alex Bates, who is available for this series, Trapasso said. Bates, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-hander, was a projected starting pitcher, but tendinitis has kept him out of action until now.

For UH pitchers, it is imperative that they keep the freebies to a minimum. Altitude-aided or not, the Aggies have hit 46 home runs, one more than their total last season. They have a prototype lead-off hitter in shortstop Richard Stout, who has a 14-game hitting streak. He leads the Aggies with a .383 batting average and .516 on-base percentage. He also is the Aggies' most prolific base stealer, hawking 16 in 18 tries.

Center fielder Joseph Scaperotta provides the power. He is the team leader with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs.

Whether by coincidence or not, UH started showing better execution on offense since the win against Stanford when Jon Hee moved from leadoff to the third hole in the batting order. Sacrifices and hits-and-runs seemed to get batters in a rhythm. Players who left for the last road trip with averages under .200 are now above that mark. Designated hitter Derek DuPree achieved the biggest leap from .188 to .338. First baseman Kevin Macdonald went from .157 to .235. Second baseman Greg Garcia, whose injured ankle is still not 100 percent, went from .175 to .230.

Meanwhile, NMSU's pitching has been struggling with control, having walked 147 in 261 innings. Only Heath Goin has a strikeout-to-walk ratio better than 2-to-1 among the four starters.

NOTES

The WAC has not been making up rained out games this season. The Aggies lost 2 of 3 against Nevada last weekend with one of the games canceled because of rain.

"The only change would be in you're playing Friday, Saturday, Sunday," Trapasso said. "You get rained out Friday, you play a doubleheader Saturday and a doubleheader Sunday."

For this series, for example, UH would not be able to play a doubleheader on a Friday because it would cut into class time, Trapasso said.

Former Rainbow Joe Spiers (2005 to 2006), who transferred to San Diego State his junior season, also is in extended spring training. He signed with the Atlanta Braves last summer as an undrafted free agent.

LOCAL BASEBALL

AGGIES NEED 10 INNINGS

Division I New Mexico State squandered a three-run lead in the bottom of the ninth only to capitalize on two errors to score the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th and hold off Hawai'i Pacific, 6-5, last night at Hans L'Orange Park.

Geoff Downing hit a two-run homer for the Aggies (15-16), who open a four-game series with the University of Hawai'i tonight.

Makana Kitamura had two hits and two RBIs for the Division II Sea Warriors (26-15-1), who rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie. It was their final home game of the season. Their last nine games are on the road.

HPU'S FOE STRANDED

Hawaii Pacific's weekend series with Dixie State College at Hans L'Orange Park was canceled because the team from Saint George, Utah had plane reservations to Hawai'i on ATA. The teams were to play a five-game series starting tomorrow through Sunday. The team could not afford to book tickets on another airline, HPU coach Garett Yukumoto said.

"They could (have made new flight plans), but it would've been costly," Yukumoto said.

The canceled games could have a bearing on whether the Sea Warriors (26-14-1), an NCAA Division II independent, get a regional bid.

"They have a formula that they use for independent schools," Yukumoto said. "It's kind of crucial that we don't play those games, but it's beyond our control."

The Sea Warriors will play at Grand Canyon in Phoenix, April 24 to 26, and at UH-Hilo May 2 to 4. Regional selections will be made May 6, Yukumoto said.