That's why they're called insurance runs.

Hawai'i added three runs late to preserve a strong outing by Mark Rodrigues in fending off relentless Fresno State, 7-6, yesterday to even the Western Athletic Conference series at 1-1.

With the win, the Rainbows (32-23 overall, 10-13 WAC) secured the fifth seed of the six-team WAC tournament, which starts Thursday in Reno, Nev. The Rainbows and top-seeded Bulldogs (32-26, 17-6) wrap the regular season at 6:35 tonight. Hawai'i will honor its eight seniors after the game.

"Our mentality today was just go there and beat 'em so we can get some momentum heading into (this) week," said Rodrigues, who is one of the eight seniors.

The Rainbows, who snapped a four-game losing streak, nearly squandered a 5-0 lead entering the eighth inning. Relievers Matt Daly and Josh Schneider allowed a combined six runs between the eighth and ninth innings before Nick Rhodes got Steve Susdorf — he drove home the winning runs in Saturday's win — out on strikes with runners at the corners to end the game for his first save.

A Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 2,053 also saw UH pitching great Derek Tatsuno throw a strike (from the pitching rubber) during his ceremonial first pitch. He was honored for his upcoming induction into the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Rodrigues (9-3), on a 50- to 60- pitch count because the tournament will start in three days, was a pitcher of efficiency, walking none and striking out none. He basically got his pitches over for strikes, forcing the Bulldogs to put the ball in play in his five innings. He held FSU hitless until one out in the fifth, when Ozzie Lewis singled and took third on Alan Ahmady's ground-rule double to right-center that probably saved a run. Rodrigues got Gavin Hedstrom on a grounder to third that froze the runners and got Dan Grubb on a fly to left to keep FSU off the board.

"Coach had me on a pitch count; I didn't expect to go out for five innings," said Rodrigues, who used 53 pitches. "The defense did a nice job today."

Daly was scheduled to start, but UH coach Mike Trapasso wanted Rodrigues and Daly to get their innings in yesterday.

"If we need Matt on Thursday, he'll pitch," Trapasso said of the tournament opener.

Trapasso hasn't decided on tonight's starting pitcher.

While pleased about the way UH played, Trapasso wasn't happy about the bullpen's near collapse. He was upset about Daly's two eighth-inning walks that were eventually cashed in and Schneider's inability to finish.

"We played good today until the eighth," Trapasso said.

The Rainbows were scoreless against FSU starter Justin Wilson's three-inning allotment; the Bulldogs also were on pitch counts. But UH broke the ice against today's scheduled starter Tanner Scheppers (5-5), who gave up four runs in three innings.

Hawai'i sent eight batters up in a four-run fourth against Scheppers on Landon Hernandez's two-run double and an RBI-double by Derek DuPree. Another run scored on DuPree's play on a throwing error to second by right fielder Lewis.

The Rainbows made it 5-0 in the seventh, scoring off Sean Bonesteele when Kris Sanchez walked, took second on Kevin Macdonald's sacrifice and scored from second on a wild pitch.

The Bulldogs pulled to 5-4 in the top of the eighth on RBI-singles by Erik Wetzel and Susdorf against Daly and a two-run single by Lewis against Schneider that scored the two runners that Daly walked.

Hawai'i's insurance came in the eighth on a two-run flare single to center by Justin Frash.

Trailing 7-4, Ryan Overland was hit by a Schneider pitch with one out, went to second on a wild pitch and to third when Tom Mendonca grounded out to second. But Wetzel got an RBI single to make it 7-5 and after Loren Storey reached on a bunt single, Steve Detwiler's RBI single pulled the Bulldogs to within one run. Schneider was yanked for the left-handed Rhodes, who struck out the left-handed hitting Susdorf to end the game.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.