Hawai'i had its will tested in holding off Santa Clara, 5-4, Saturday to give the Rainbows their second consecutive win and series clincher.

The Rainbows overcame base-running and fielding mistakes thanks to gutsy pitching by Mark Rodrigues and Tyler Davis, as well as a four-run fourth and deciding home run by Jorge Franco in the seventh before 1,079 at Les Murakami Stadium.

"It was a good win because we made some mistakes, overcame some adversity and battled and scratched and clawed," UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

The Rainbows (2-0) will try for a sweep against the Broncos (0-2) in Sunday's series finale at 1:05 p.m. Right-hander Matt Daily or left-hander Nicholas Rhodes will start for UH, Trapasso said. Santa Clara is scheduled to start sophomore right-hander Jordan Kuehn.

Rodrigues (1-0) allowed two runs, seven hits, a walk and two hit batsmen in 5 1/3 innings. Tyler Davis gave up two runs (one unearned) in 3 2/3 innings for his first save. They combined to strand 11 base runners in seven of the nine innings.

"This is a good offensive club," Trapasso said of the Broncos, who out-hit UH 10-7. "They battle. They're as good a two-strike approach team that we will play all year."

But the Rainbows were opportunistic, making the Broncos pay for a mental error in the four-run fourth when UH had nine batters up against Santa Clara freshman starter Nate Garcia (0-1), who went 4 1/3 innings. Evan Zimny drilled an 0-2, eye-level fastball for a two-run double to center to tie the game at 2.

"It was one of those (pitches) you swing and say, 'Why did I swing at that one?' " Zimny said.

Landon Hernandez then hit a fielder's choice grounder to third baseman Gabe Alcantar, who back-handed the ball, stepped on third base and started heading off the field. Zimny slowed down as he neared third to avoid a tag on the non-force play.

"I could tell he was running like he was just going to tag the base, so I just slowed down so he wouldn't tag me," Zimny said.

With runners at the corners, designated hitter Ryan Asato's RBI single to center put UH ahead, 3-2, and sent Hernandez to second. Franco then beat out a grounder to third for a single to load the bases, setting up Nathan Young's line single to right to score another run. Asato was held up at third, but Franco rounded second and was caught in a rundown between second and third to end the inning.

"Obviously, we got some help there," Trapasso said of Alcantar's mistake. "They make the big mental mistake and we were able to capitalize on it then by getting the base hit. We got another base hit that could've kept the inning going, then we make our own mistake."

Rodrigues, who could not practice with the team until Wednesday while awaiting clearance for a sixth year of eligibility due to a medical hardship, had two perfect innings, but struggled in the other 3 1/3.

After UH took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Rodrigues started the fifth by walking Kevin Drever on four pitches and went 1-0 on the next batter, Tommy Medica, prompting a visit from Trapasso. He retired the next three batters before getting into a jam in the sixth. Still, Trapasso was pleased.

"I thought Mark was solid," Trapasso said. "I think that's about all we could ask from Mark. He got us into the sixth inning considering he's been working out on his own."

Rodrigues said he didn't have his fastball, but his slider and changeup were effective enough to overcome the Bronco hitters, who were 3 for 3 off him when he got ahead 0-2 in the count.

"I threw some 0-2 pitches that were kind of off the plate, but they made some good (swings) on it," Rodrigues said.

Davis inherited a 2-0 count with runners on first and second with one out in the sixth. Davis got the next two outs, but got into jams the next three innings.

A one-out throwing error by shortstop Eli Christensen allowed Medica to reach first and eventually score on Nathan Faulkner's double to pull the Broncos to 4-3.

Franco's home run to left in the bottom of the seventh made it 5-3.

Davis encountered more problems in the eighth when he hit Jon Karcich, who then took third on Alcantar's double, and scored on Drever's sacrifice fly to left to cut the Broncos' deficit to one.

"I didn't feel I had my best stuff, but I worked through it," Davis said. "We got a win and that's all that matters."

Trapasso said he had Daly warming in the bullpen and considered bringing him in with a runner at first and one out in the ninth. But he had faith in Davis.

"I almost went to Daly for (Evan) LeBlanc in the ninth," Trapasso said. "But Tyler's been through it and he's going to go out there and throw strikes and force contact. I thought he was tired there in the ninth; his stuff wasn't as sharp. He's a warrior. He's going to give it the best he's got."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.