It was Hawai'i at its best and at its worst.

The Rainbows overcame a season-high six errors and squandering a five-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning by sending nine batters to the plate in a four-run 15th to outlast San Jose State, 10-8, last night in Western Athletic Conference baseball at Municipal Stadium in San Jose, Calif.

"As bad a game defensively as we'll ever play ever, we won because we competed," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "It was huge to win it because (of how bad) we played defensively. We overcame a lot of adversity in that game."

The series opener lasted four hours, 50 minutes and was the longest of the season in time and innings for the Spartans (14-11 overall, 5-7 WAC) and Rainbows (11-19, 3-6). They still have to play doubleheader today (10 a.m., HST) and one tomorrow.

It was costly for the Rainbows' bullpen. Jayson Kramer used 76 pitches in his 4 1/3 inning stint. Matt Daly pitched the final four innings and threw around 80 pitches. Essentially, each pitcher's outing was the equivalent of a start. Trapasso said both are done for the series.

"We need a couple of CGs (complete games) today," joked Trapasso.

Daly (4-2), who averages nearly a walk per inning, walked only one and struck out three, allowing two runs in the 15th, but stranded the tying run at first.

"It was by far his best outing of the year," Trapasso said. "In a game with many story lines, that was a big one. He kept us in the game."

Hawai'i starter Jared Alexander gave up five runs in 6 2/3 innings.

In the UH 15th against Anthony Vega (1-2), Derek DuPree beat out a single to shortstop, took second on Jon Hee's sacrifice and Brandon Haislet was intentionally walked after a 2-0 count. But Vega struck out Jeff Van Doornum.

With runners at first and second, Kevin Macdonald singled to third to load the bases. During the play, third baseman Kyle Bellows tried to get DuPree taking a wide turn, but was late, so he tried to get Haislet going back to second, but his throw was errant, allowing DuPree to score the go-ahead run, 7-6.

With runners again at first and second, Landon Hernandez's RBI single made it 8-6 and sent Macdonald to second. Vinnie Catricala followed with an RBI single to left, leaving runners at first and second again, making it 9-6.

Greg Garcia singled to left to load the bases, but left fielder Alex Sofranac's error on the play allowed Hernandez to score that made it 10-6.

The Spartans got a two-run single from John Shaffer in the bottom of the 15th to pull to 10-8 with runners at first and second with one out. But Daly retired Bellows and Corey Valine on flyouts to right and center, respectively, to end the game.

Hawai'i nursed a 3-1 lead entering the top of the seventh, when they tagged SJSU starter David Berner for three runs. Kevin Macdonald's two-run singled chased Berner for Christopher McNeil, who was greeted with an RBI double by Hernandez.

But the Spartans sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five to tie the game at 6 in bizarre fashion.

They pulled to 6-3 against Alexander on an RBI double by Sofranac and RBI single by Bellows. That's when Alexander was pulled for Kramer, who gave up a two-run single by Valine that pulled SJSU to 6-5.

Representing the tying run, Valine took second on a delayed steal. But Kramer got Jason Martin to hit a routine comebacker. Moving toward first, Kramer's under-hand throw to first sailed over first baseman Macdonald, allowing Valine to score the tying run.

"I took a trip to the mound and all I could honestly do was laugh," Trapasso said. "I said, 'we're never going to see that again, dude.' "