Earlier, the Rainbows dropped the opener, 8-6.

Arrieta (3-3) allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts for the Aggies (21-25 overall, 6-12 WAC), who passed Sacramento State (6-14) to escape the conference's cellar. Frankie Duran pitched the ninth inning to finish off the Ranbows.

Ian Harrington went just 3 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, eight hits and a walk with five strikeouts for UH (28-19 overall, 9-9 WAC).

The Aggies got on the board first in the second inning. With two outs, Harrington allowed three successive singles, the last by Ryan Philippi, scored Ryan Gibson from second base to give NMSU a 1-0 lead.

They added a run in the third when Ari Loiben led off with a double and two out later, scored on Joseph Scaperotta's double to make it 2-0.

The Aggies increased their lead to 4-0 in the fourth in chasing Harrington. Ryan Gibson led off with a home run to left. Marcos Rosales walked, took second on a sacrifice, advanced to third on Kyle McFadden's single and scored on a wild pitch. After giving up a single to Ari Loiben, Harrington was pulled for Tyler Davis, who promptly picked off Loiben from first before getting Marcus Quade on a foul pop to the catcher.

The Aggies added an unearned run in the fifth to make it 5-0.

Hawai'i broke nine consecutive scoreless innings spanning two games by scoring in the sixth. After singles by pinch hitter Vinnie Catricala and Justin Frash put runners at the corners, an error on a grounder by Brandon Haislet scored Catricala to make it 5-1.

The Aggies sent nine batters to the plate in a four-run seventh on a two-run double by Rosales and two-run single by Quade to make it 9-1.