For the third time in three tries, Iolani won an Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball showdown in its final at-bat yesterday, rallying past Mid-Pacific, 8-2.

Wally Marciel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning for the go-ahead run, Brett Hasegawa followed with a grand slam and C.J. Johnson added a solo home run as the visiting Raiders improved to 3-0 in the ILH. MPI fell to 2-1.

Iolani won its league opener against Saint Louis, 7-1, last Friday by scoring seven runs in the top of the seventh. The Raiders then defeated two-time defending state champion Punahou, 9-6, the next afternoon by scoring three runs in the top of the 12th.

Yesterday, Iolani trailed 2-1 entering the sixth but tied it in that inning after Case Miyahira scored from second base on Hasegawa's two-out single to center. In the seventh, the Raiders loaded the bases with two outs on two walks and a hit batter, then Marciel was plunked to make it 3-2.

Hasegawa then launched a first-pitch fastball over the center field fence, and Johnson followed with another shot to roughly the same location.

The Owls got two runners aboard in the bottom of the frame, but Johnson got a double-play grounder to close out his second straight complete game with a five-hitter.

"It's exciting, it's definitely built character into our team," Hasegawa said of Iolani's late-game theatrics. "Coming from behind to win has brought us closer together — it shows that we have heart and determination. We're believing in each other, and no matter what the score is, we're still going to try our hardest to win as a team."

Like their other two ILH games, however, yesterday's could have gone either way.

Mid-Pacific jumped out to a 1-0 lead after Chad Takabuki led off the bottom of the first with a triple and scored on Jordan Okamura's sacrifice fly to right field.

The Raiders tied it in the fourth on Marciel's solo home run to center, but MPI went up 2-1 in the bottom of the inning after Adam Tamashiro reached on an error, advanced to second on Easton Torigoe's sacrifice bunt and scored on Russell Doi's single to center.

But Johnson, who was working on three days' rest after defeating Saint Louis, hung tough after that and allowed only one hit over the final three innings.

That gave Iolani a chance to tie it in the sixth and blow it open in the seventh for yet another late-inning victory.

"The key is not to get into that situation," said Owls coach Dunn Muramaru, referring to the bases-loaded jam in the seventh. "Right now it's tough to find a way to get those guys (Marciel, Hasegawa and Johnson) out."

IOLANI (3-0) 000 101 6 — 8 9 3

MID-PACIFIC (2-1) 100 100 0 — 2 5 0

C.J. Johnson and Jarvis Nohara; Austin Sloan, Kase Kaneko (5), Jared Hara (6), Robert Dittrick (7) and Aaron Fujiki. W — Johnson. L — Hara.

Leading hitters — Iolani: Wally Marciel 3-3, double, home run, 2 RBIs; Brett Hasegawa 2-3, grand slam, 5 RBIs; Johnson home run; Mike Hirokawa 2-2, double. Mid-Pacific: Chad Takabuki triple; Fujiki double; Adam Tamashiro double.

SAINT LOUIS 7, PAC-FIVE 6

Cameron Bayne's double in the top of the seventh inning scored the tying and go-ahead runs to lead the Crusaders past the Wolfpack at Ala Wai Field.

Bayne also came on in relief in the bottom of the sixth and shut out Pac-Five in the seventh to earn the victory.

SAINT LOUIS (1-2) 121 000 3—7 9 2

PAC-FIVE (1-1) 300 003 0—6 6 5

Gavin Medes, Cameron Bayne (6) and Keoni Haina. Samson Aina, Spencer Kim (3), Tony Onizuka (7), Ryan DeMello (7) and Aaron Chilcote. W — Bayne. L — Onizuka.

Leading hitters: Saint Louis—Ryan Sasaki 2-3; Haina 2-4; Micah Mamiya 2-3; Bayne double, 2 RBIs. Pac-Five—Peter Kirst double; Chilcote 2-3, double.

Reported by John Krayson

PUNAHOU-DAMIEN, PPD

The game at Central O'ahu Regional Park was postponed due to a wet field.

OIA WEST DIVISION

LEILEHUA 7, WAIPAHU 0

Brett Nakasone pitched a four-hitter and Andrew Ontai had two doubles and drove in a run to help the Mules defeat the Marauders in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Western Division opener.

LEILEHUA (1-0) 020 122 0 — 7 10 1

WAIPAHU (0-1) 000 000 0 — 0 4 5

Brett Nakasone and Ehukai Woolley. Alfred Maglangit, Tryton Gante (6) and Mike Gonsalez. W — Nakasone. L — Maglangit.

Leading hitters — Leilehua: Andrew Ontai two doubes, RBI; Melvin Ferreira 2-4, RBI. Waipahu: Derek Kiyabu 2-3; Jaris Komuro-Rosete 2-3, two doubles.

Reported by Milton Takenaka

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.