Things were supposed to get better for Hawaii when a two-win New Mexico State team visited Les Murakami Stadium for four games this week.

Instead, it’s gotten a whole lot worse.

The Rainbow Warriors suffered another agonizing defeat to the Aggies, who have as many wins in three games against the Rainbow Warriors as they had in 18 games coming in following a 6-3 victory on Saturday night.

NMSU starter Matt Loeffler, a 2010 Waiakea High graduate, took a shutout into the eighth inning and the Aggies (4-16-1) pummeled Hawaii starter Kyle Von Ruden (1-2) for five runs on eight hits in 21⁄3 innings.

Only one error showed up for Hawaii (8-15) in the box score, but the game was filled with miscues, including a dropped fly ball, a throwing error, a fly ball lost in the lights for a double and the second straight night a UH baserunner was hit by a batted ball, resulting in an immediate out.

"It was a mess," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "I don’t know what I can do to have us catch fly balls and see fly balls, but it’s a shame. I was disappointed for the first time this year offensively with our lack of competitiveness. We didn’t compete and that’s the one thing this group has done from the first pitch to last night and we didn’t compete today."

Loeffler, whose older brother Ronnie redshirted in his one season with UH, allowed only one baserunner to reach second base through the first six innings.

He only struck out one but allowed just four hits through seven innings.

"I just had some vengeance, but I mean it’s all in the past," said Loeffler, who estimated about 40 of the 2,714 in attendance were friends and family. "I lost my focus in the eighth inning, but I knew my defense had my back, and then Billy (Conard) came in and shut the door."

Eric Ramirez chased Loeffler with a two-run single in the eighth and a third run scored on a throwing error by Quinnton Mack in center.

Conard relieved Loeffler with a runner on third and struck out Alex Sawelson, who swung at all three pitches.

Conard then struck out the side in the ninth to earn his second save of the series.

"We’re trying to find our identity and we knew we were going to have our hands full here, but our guys have competed really hard in all three games," NMSU coach Brian Green said. "(Loeffler) is one of our biggest competitors and it’s not even close. It was a special night for him."

Von Ruden got off to a good start with a 10-pitch 1-2-3 first inning, but wound up suffering his shortest outing of the year.

The Aggies strung together six hits in a four-run second in which he got little help from the defense behind him.

New Mexico State had a runner on second with one out when right fielder Alan Baldwin lost a fly ball by Cameron Haskins in the lights that dropped for a double.

Third baseman Kyle Graf hit a grounder to second fielded cleanly by freshman Conner Linebarger, but his throw to second pulled shortstop Jacob Sheldon-Collins off the base.

Daniel Kennon then hit a grounder to the backhand of J.J. Kitaoka at third, who fielded it but then knocked the ball out of his glove on a play ruled a hit.

Von Ruden got out of the inning, but was pulled with one out in the third after two hits and a walk. Josh Pigg allowed one run to score when left fielder Marcus Doi dropped a fly ball, but managed to throw the runner out at third to avoid the error.

"We’ve been making mistakes defensively all year," Trapasso said. "It started on the mound and Kyle didn’t have anything."

Pigg worked 3 2/3 shutout innings in relief of Von Ruden and gave up two hits without a walk, but took a ball off his hand on the play in the top of the sixth and couldn’t return.

"In (the dugout) it swelled up to the size of an apple," Trapasso said. "It almost looked like it might be a broken hand, but we’ll get an X-ray and see."

Even when the Aggies tried to let Hawaii back in the game, the ‘Bows weren’t ready to capitalize. Aliviado, who had three hits, led off the fourth inning with a fly ball to left that was simply dropped by Jay Sheeley for an error.

Aliviado was quickly erased when Ramirez immediately hit into one of two double plays turned by New Mexico State.

Aliviado and Ramirez got on to start the seventh, but after a mound visit from Green, Loeffler recorded three outs in five pitches.

E–Sheely, Mack, Linebarger. DP–New Mexico State 2, Hawaii 1. LOB–New Mexico State 10, Hawaii 5. 2B–Haskins. HBP–Baldwin. SH–Sheely. SB–Aliviado.

Hatch pitched to 2 batters in the ninth. WP–Loeffler, Valencia. HBP–by Loeffler (Baldwin). Umpires–(Plate): Allen Williams. (First): Anthony Norris. (Third): Ryan Bleiberg. T–2:48. A–2,714.