The Owls pelted Ishida from the onset with a three-run first inning. A two-out error by Reece Kiriu at second allowed MPI's first run to score, and Tasaka followed with a two-run single.

MPI added three more runs in the second after Tan ripped the three-run triple to right center.

Punahou rallied with three runs in the bottom of the second despite a tag-out at home when Kiriu was nabbed trying to score from third on a passed ball. Tyler Hanzawa socked an RBI single and Matt Suiter brought in two more runs with single to right as the Buffanblu pulled within 4-3.

Wade Tamaru's squeeze bunt brought in Michael Arakaki as MPI took a 7-3 lead in the top of the third. Aaron Fujiki added an RBI single to give the Owls a five-run lead.
Kiriu's sacrifice fly brought Geoffrey Kunita home in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 8-4.

The Buffanblu got a run-scoring single by Kunita in the fourth, and Zach Kometani's field-choice grounder brought in Shane Yoshiyama. After rallying within 8-6, however, Punahou got no closer.

Mid-Pac scored three more runs in the top of the sixth. Easton Torigoe smacked a triple to deep left and came home on Nagamine's single. Nagamine came home on a single by Tan to give MPI a 10-6 lead. Todd Nagamine's bloop single to right brought Tan home for a five-run Owls' lead.

In the sixth, a two-out single by Tasaka gave Mid-Pac its 12th run. Punahou got its final run in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out single by Travis Tanaka.

Though the ILH race is brutally tough, there are three berths available for the Division I state tournament. Last year, only one ILH berth existed.

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