Scott Kuzminsky took a hard-hit ball off the back of his thigh and punched at it a couple of times to quell the numbing.

Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso bolted out of the dugout to check on his pitcher in the eighth inning Monday night, but was waved back before he made it to the mound.

Kuzminsky had things under control.

If the Hawaii senior had postgame plans on St. Patrick’s Day, he didn’t have to worry about being late. Kuzminsky tossed a two-hitter in a rare 1-0 win over Nevada, the finale of a four-game series at Les Murakami Stadium.

A crowd of 1,143 witnessed the first 1-0, complete-game shutout by a UH pitcher in Trapasso’s 13 years as head coach. Kuzminsky needed just 92 pitches and faced the minimum 27 batters to earn his second victory in just 1 hour, 42 minutes.

"I’ve never pitched a game like this in my career," said Kuzminsky (2-2), who walked one and struck out three. "I really didn’t even know what inning it was. I just kept going out there until the game was over."

Hawaii (9-11) won its seventh 1-0 game since 1993 but had never had a starting pitcher go the distance in any of those wins.

Kuzminsky threw more than nine pitches in an inning only twice and didn’t allow a runner to reach second base.

Austin Byler drew a one-out walk in the first and was thrown out trying to steal by UH catcher Trevor Podratz.

Jordan Devencenzi led off the fifth with a single and Byler hit a one-out single in the seventh, but Hawaii turned two double plays.

"The only pitched game that would have won for us tonight was what he did," Trapasso said. "He was really aggressive, working quick and was down in the zone."

As it had done all series, Nevada (9-11) tried everything to break Kuzminsky’s rhythm. Whether it was continually stepping out of the box or head coach Jay Johnson giving abnormally long signs from the third-base box, Kuzminsky didn’t let it get to him.

Once the umpire motioned to Kuzminsky, he was already halfway into his delivery.

"With these guys, they are kind of like a human rain delay," Kuzminsky said. "I was getting signs even before they were in the box and right when they got in, I was trying to attack them."

With conference play beginning in 10 days, Kuzminsky is the odd starter out when UH transitions to three-game series beginning with UC Santa Barbara.

That won’t change based on Monday’s performance but it does give Trapasso confidence knowing he has someone who will give the bullpen a boost after allowing 14 runs in 61⁄3 innings against Nevada.

"That performance showed how valuable he is going to be to us out of the bullpen in conference," Trapasso said. "You’re always one sore arm away from starting again and with Jarrett (Arakawa’s) situation, we’re not committed to him starting every game if his shoulder flares up. Tonight does nothing but help (Kuzminsky) if we have that situation."

As good as Kuzminsky was, Nevada starter Tyler Wells (0-3) was one batter away from matching him inning-for-inning.

Wells faced only one over the minimum in eight innings but it was a big one.

Hawaii second baseman Stephen Ventimilia led off the game with a single to center. He stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, allowing Kaeo Aliviado’s grounder to second to score the game’s lone run.

HAWAII 1, NEVADA 0

DP—Hawaii 2. SB—Ventimilia .CS—Byler; Aliviado.

WP—Wells. Umpires—(Plate): Ricky Scarbery. (First): Mark Evans. (Third): Bill Barnes. T—1:42. A—1,143.