A much-energized Hawai'i team fought off relentless Utah Valley, 9-6, last night to even the non-conference collegiate baseball series at one game apiece.

Brandon Haislet drove in four runs, batting 3 for 5, and Jon Hee also batted 3 for 5 to pace the Rainbows' 11-hit attack before 1,386 at Les Murakami Stadium.

"Definitely more energy," Hee said of the team's attitude. "We faced some adversity in the middle of the game (when the Wolverines pulled to 3-2 in the top of the sixth). But we came up with the four spot (in the bottom of the inning). I think that was big for us, to get back on the board after that."

The Rainbows (27-28) will play their home finale and honor their nine seniors tonight at 6:35. Hawai'i also has a chance to get to .500 overall for the first time since March 1, when it was 5-5 after a loss to Michigan. It also is the final game for Wolverines coach Steve Gardner, who is retiring after his 18th season at UV.

Josh Schneider (5-2) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, five hits and a walk with three strikeouts for UH. Four relievers followed.

"Schneider pitched well early and kept us in the game," UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

Aaron Brady (2-8) gave up six runs, five hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings for the Wolverines (16-36-1).

Haislet drove in UH's first two runs of the game, the second on his team-leading sixth home run of the season.

"It definitely was a booster for me," Haislet said of the homer, a liner over the left-field wall. "I wasn't swinging too well a little before that, but I found my swing now and hopefully I can pick it up."

Haislet and Hee are each on a tear. Both entered the game hitting .369 and after each went 3 for 5, both are hitting .374 to lead the team. While most of his teammates were giving Haislet high-fives after the homer, Hee greeted him with a cup of Gatorade.

"He looked thirsty, so I gave 'im some Gatorade. It's a long run, you know," joked Hee.

"It was a joke. It wasn't anything we had planned," Haislet said. "He just came out and said, 'have a sip.' "

After the Wolverines pulled to 3-2 in the top of the sixth, the Rainbows sent eight batters to the plate in a four-run bottom of the sixth. Greg Garcia's two-run triple chased Brady before Hee and Haislet followed with back-to-back RBI doubles off Bryan Smith to cap the inning to make it 9-2.

The Wolverines got three in the seventh against Sam Spangler to pull to 9-5 before Josh Slaats finished the inning for him. Then Slaats needed help from Matt Daly, who got the last out in the eighth, and Cameron Wheeler gave up a solo home run to Jake Brinkerhoff in the ninth, but that was it to preserve the lead.

"The guys played a pretty good game offensively," Trapasso said. "We had some pretty good swings today. And we needed them. We're pretty much a rag-tag (pitching) staff without Jared (Alexander), (Alex) Bates is done and (Alex) Capaul's out (with a shoulder and jaw injury).

"I'm not real happy with how our guys are throwing strikes right now this late in the year."

Capaul, who has a tender elbow, broke his jaw when he was struck by a ball in batting practice on Thursday. He and Bates (elbow problems) will not be available for the Western Athletic Conference tournament.

"Alexander, we're hopeful he'll start for us on Thursday," Trapasso said of the WAC tournament opener. "That's why we held him out this weekend because he's getting better every day. We'll have our fingers crossed that he's ready to go."

Alexander (7-3, 3.27 ERA) has missed starts in the New Mexico State series last weekend and this weekend with Utah Valley. The right-hander experienced discomfort in his elbow after going five-plus innings on May 2 against Sacramento State. A magnetic resonance imaging test showed no ligament tear and he hasn't appeared in any games since.

The WAC tournament is double-elimination and will be held at Louisiana Tech.

Daly (5-3), who faced one batter using six pitches last night, will start tonight's game for UH.