Kamehameha wanted to force the issue in the late innings of a scoreless game yesterday against Punahou.

And the player who got it done was an unlikely, but speedy source.

Pinch runner Keoni Lum stole second and third on back-to-back pitches and scored as the catcher's throw went into left field in the sixth inning as Kamehameha beat Punahou, 1-0, at Central O'ahu Regional Park.

The victory gave the Warriors the Interscholastic League of Honolulu tournament title, and clinched a state tournament berth.

Kamehameha (11-8) will play Punahou (13-4), the regular-season champion, again tomorrow at CORP for the overall league title and seeded berth in the state tournament.

Lum entered after a leadoff walk by Mitchell Kauweloa against Punahou starter Jeeter Ishida.

After a pop out, Lum stole second with Edward Dun at the plate. On the next pitch — as Dun took strike three — Lum stole third and scored easily as the throw from the catcher skipped into left field.

"In that situation we look for a pitch we can run on," Warriors coach Vern Ramie said. "We look at the sequence of pitches and see when we can get a good pitch to run on."

In the bottom half of the inning, Warriors starter Kapono Chang departed after allowing a one-out single to Matt Suiter.

Closer Ashkon Kuhaulua entered and allowed a single to right by Bucky Aona, which advanced Suiter second.

Steven Dannaway followed with a single that was fielded by left fielder Waylen Sing Chow, who fired a perfect one-hopper to catcher Stuart Kam, who tagged out Suiter.

"I just made sure I kept the ball down so my catcher could make a play on the ball," Sing Chow said.

Punahou coach Eric Kadooka said: "I thought our runner got in. That's part of the game, you get bad calls and good calls."

Kuhaulua struck out the next batter looking with runners at second and third to end the inning. He retired the side in order in the seventh.

Chang allowed four hits with no walks or strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. He threw 49 of his 67 pitches for strikes.

"The goal to pitching is make them hit what you want them to hit," he said.

Ishida allowed three hits in six innings, and escaped a bases-loaded no-out jam in the fourth.

KAMEHAMEHA (11-8) 000 001 0—1 3 0

PUNAHOU (13-4) 000 000 0—0 6 1

Kapono Chang, Ashkon Kuhaulua (6) and Stuart Kam. Jeeter Ishida, Paul Snieder (7) and Zach Kometani. W—Kuhaulua. L—Ishida.

Leading hitters: Kamehameha—Mitchell Kauweloa 2-2. Punahou—Bucky Aona 2-3.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.