An eighth-inning walk followed by three errors aided No. 24 Arizona in a 3-1 non-conference baseball series-clinching win yesterday.

The Rainbows (15-8) lost a series for only the second time this season; the other was to another nationally ranked team, then-No. 12 Wichita State, which swept a three-game series.

"Our guys played their hearts out," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "They played with a good demeanor. We just didn't get it done offensively."

In taking two of three in the series, the Wildcats (15-6) were out-scored, 6-5, out-hit 23-15 and out-pitched in terms of earned run average, 1.00 to 2.08, but were perfect on defense, no errors to UH's six, four in yesterday's game alone.

"That's disappointing when you do that and only have one win to show for it," Trapasso said of UH's pitching performance. "(Arizona's) a good club. They matched us pitch-for-pitch. You have to give credit to the arms those guys have. But if we play with the demeanor we had yesterday and today, we're going to be pretty good."

The game, watched by 1,520 at Les Murakami Stadium, was like the previous two: a pitchers' duel. Neither starter — UH's Josh Schneider (one runs, four hits no walks and three strikeouts in seven innings) and UA's David Coulon (one run, six hits, two walks and three strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings) — figured in the decision, each departing with the score 1-1.

The Rainbows threatened in the bottom of the seventh when Eli Christensen singled and stole second on a 1-0 pitch that Landon Hernandez swung and missed.

Wildcats coach Andy Lopez was ejected after a lengthy, heated argument with home plate umpire Ryan Arasato, claiming Hernandez's swing might have obstructed his catcher's throw on the steal. Lopez's argument gave Cory Burns time to heat up in the bullpen. Burns inherited the 1-1 count on Hernandez and promptly struck him out, then struck out Vinnie Catricala to strand the go-ahead runner at second.

Lopez grinned and laughed when asked if he was buying time for his reliever. He only admitted that Burns is "a guy that needs a little bit (of) time" to warm up.

Burns (1-1) added another scoreless frame, finishing with three strikeouts. Daniel Schlereth walked one and struck out the side in the ninth for his second save of the series and sixth on the season.

Matt Daly started the eighth for UH and walked Dwight Childs on four pitches. Daly then fielded Robert Abel's bunt, but his throw to first sailed to the right field foul area, allowing Childs to take third and Abel to reach second. When right fielder Jorge Franco failed to field the ball cleanly, Childs scored and Abel took third as UA went ahead 2-1.

With the infield drawn in, T.J. Steele's ground out to short froze the runner at third, and Daly struck out Colt Sedbrook. But left fielder Derek DuPree dropped a fly to deep left with a setting sun as a backdrop, allowing Abel to score before Daly struck out Brad Glenn.

"Physical errors are going to happen," Trapasso said. "It was the walk that set the tone for everything. ... It's a shame we lost the game by errors, but it started with the walk."

It was only the fifth walk issued by UH pitching in the series' 27 innings. In fact, Daly (1-1) didn't allow a hit in his two innings. As for the error, he said he didn't set his feet properly before making the throw.

Trapasso was pleased that his team played aggressively, something that was lacking in the series-opening, 2-1, loss, he said. Yesterday, two UH runners were caught stealing after they broke for second while the pitcher threw to first. Also, Haislet was cut down at the plate in the fourth inning trying to score on Christensen's ground single to shallow center.

"When you're aggressive, you're going to make mistakes," Trapasso said. "But I'd rather get thrown out being aggressive than standing there when you're not swinging well."

Hawai'i's run came on a walk to Haislet, a wild pitch and two infield groundouts in the second. Only once UH had successive batters reach base. In the third, Catricala singled and Franco reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice. But DuPree struck out after failing on two bunt tries and Coulon got the next two batters on grounders to end the threat.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.