Mark Rodrigues turned in a solid seven innings that was backed by a four-run seventh and Hawai'i downed No. 24 Arizona, 4-0, last night to even the non-conference baseball series at 1 at Les Murakami Stadium.

A crowd of 2,537 — the largest of the season — watched the Rainbows (15-7) and Wildcats (14-6) engage in a pitchers' duel between Rodrigues (5-1) and Brad Mills (4-2) in a battle of left-handers. It was UH's first shutout of the season and first since the opening game of the Western Athletic Conference tournament when Steven Wright beat Louisiana Tech, 8-0.

"That was really good baseball right there," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "Both teams really pitched well. We were able to scratch a crooked number (in the seventh). It's a good win for us. Now we just have to come out tomorrow and play the same way."

Rodrigues allowed three hits and walked none while striking out four. Tyler Davis wrapped the game up with two scoreless innings of no-hit ball with a walk and one strikeout in a non-save situation. Rodrigues left having thrown 81 pitches, only 19 of them balls.

"I just thought that his last inning, he was leaving some balls up," Trapasso said of pulling Rodrigues after UH took the 4-0 lead. "Once we scored, I thought it was a good idea (to bring in Davis)."

Rodrigues said he was able to command his inside fastball, which he said in previous starts he left too close to the middle at times. He worked on it with pitching coach Chad Konishi.

"Coach K just told me to sight-adjust," Rodrigues explained. "Look at Landon's knee (catcher Landon Hernandez) and that's what I was doing tonight."

Arizona coach Andy Lopez was impressed with Rodrigues and UH's overall play.

"Their pitcher did a marvelous job," he said. "When you're 0-0 in six and seven innings, it all comes down to execution and they did a great job."

Mills was pitching zeros himself through six innings. He entered the seventh at 97 pitches before Eli Christensen lined a 3-1 pitch to right for a double that ignited the four-run inning. Mills went through several fake throws to second before Lopez went to visit the home plate umpire Mike Evans and then to the mound to visit his pitcher. It was long enough to get his reliever warmed, as Mike Colla was summoned to replace Mills.

But Colla didn't fare so well, as Landon Hernandez's sacrifice moved Christensen to third, where he scored on Vinnie Catricala's ground double down the left-field line to break the deadlock. Catricala reached third when Jorge Franco chopped a single to shortstop. Derek DuPree then grounded a single to left-center to make it 2-0 and put runners at first and second.

Colla was pulled for Jason Stoffel, who retired Jon Hee on a grounder to first that advanced the runners, who were moving with the pitch. Justin Frash, who was 0 for 3 and struck out in his previous two at-bats, grounded a single that second baseman Kevin Rodland stopped, but his throw home was too late to get DuPree. Frash took second on the throw home of his two-run single that made it 4-0.

"I just battled," Frash said. "I think it was an off-speed pitch. Luckily it kicked off (the second baseman)."

In the top of the ninth, Colt Sedbrook reached on shortstop Christensen's throwing error, but Davis retired the next two batters on fly balls to end the game. Christensen, who is coming around with the bat, having gone 2 for 2 in the opener and was 2 for 3 with a walk last night, also made a wide throw to first on Robert Abel's infield single that first baseman Kris Sanchez had to stretch toward to the right field side of the foul line, where Abel collided into him. Sanchez said he sustained a "charlie horse" from the play, but was otherwise OK.

DuPree made his season debut in the outfield after starting games at DH while recovering from an off-season knee injury. He made a sliding catch in the outfield.

The Rainbows needed a well-played game and win after losing the opener, 2-1, that was resumed after being suspended Friday night because of rain. The Rainbows trailed 2-0 when the game was called with a full count on Sanchez and Daniel Schlereth on the mound. The Rainbows fell a run short, leaving the bases loaded to end the game.

The series ends today at 1:05 p.m. Right-hander Joshua Schneider will pitch for UH against UA's David Coulon, a left-hander.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.