Washington State pecked, pecked and pecked away to Saturday night’s 4-2 baseball victory over Hawaii at Les Murakami Stadium.

The Cougars scored single runs in the first, second, fifth and eighth innings en route to winning the first two of a season-opening, four-game series. Today’s first pitch is at 1:05 p.m.

A crowd of 2,239 saw five WSU pitchers hold the ’Bows to three hits and two mistake-constructed runs.

The game took 4 hours, 19 minutes — the second consecutive 4-hour-plus contest.

Matt Wong, who had two of the Bows’ hits, doubled to lead off the UH second, went to third on a groundout, then scored on left-hander Cole McMillan’s balk.

The ’Bows closed to 3-2 in the sixth when Scotty Scott singled past third baseman Jack Smith, went to second on a passed ball, and came around to score on two wild pitches. This season, the ’Bows had RBIs on only two of their first six runs.

The ’Bows have employed a small-ball strategy under Rich Hill, who is in his first season as UH head after 23 seasons at the University of San Diego. They altered the lineup to move Naighel Ali‘i Calderon to the top. Calderon, who went 2-for-2 with three steals in Friday’s opener, is the fastest Bows at 6.3 seconds over 60 yards.

But aggressive base running comes with a risk. The Cougars picked off two ’Bows — third baseman Aaron Ujimori in the second inning and Wong in the third.

McMillan worked out of several jams and was largely effective in five innings. He departed after his 95th pitch — Scott’s leadoff single in the sixth. McMillan transferred from San Jacinto College last summer after previously spending a redshirt season at Houston. McMillan allowed three hits, walked two and struck out six. Four relievers did not allow a hit the rest of the way. The Cougars doused the ’Bows’ final threat in the ninth. With Bronson Rivera on third with two outs, Caden Kaelbert struck out Ujimori to end the game.

The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Shortstop Kodie Kolden drew a five-pitch walk from Andy Archer. One out later, Kolden went to second on Collin Montez’s sacrifice. Justin Van De Brake then singled to score Kolden.

In the second. Bryce Matthews reached on a check-swing grounder. After Jacob McKeon walked and Jake Meyer struck out, Kyle Russell blooped a single to left bring home Matthews for 2-0 lead.

Archer retired 10 in a row before Hylan Hill singled to left with two outs in the fifth. Archer departed after that. Reliever Tai Atkins’ second pitch was mishandled by catcher Nainoa Cardinez as Hill raced to second. Montez’s RBI single made it 3-1.

The Cougars another run in the eighth. Smith singled to right and sped home on McKeon’s double to left-center.

Archer, who came to UH as a graduate transfer last summer, found his groove after the first time around the WSU lineup. He allowed three hits and two walks to the first nine hitters, then a lone single to the next 11 batters.

Scott has not made an official out in nine plate appearances this series. He has two hits, four walks, beaned twice and put down a sacrifice.