Punahou welcomed home 'Iolani's baseball team from its Mainland trip yesterday with a seven-hit, eight-run third inning and then held on to win the Interscholastic League of Honolulu showdown, 9-6.

The three-time defending state champion Buffanblu improved to 5-0 in the ILH, while the Raiders fell to 2-2.

'Iolani had just returned Thursday night from a whirlwind trip to southern California, where the Raiders played four games, visited nine colleges, watched two college baseball games and, of course, went to Disneyland.

But Punahou took them for a ride of a different kind in the top of the third inning yesterday, sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring six runs after two outs.

Junior shortstop Josh Bninski ignited the barrage with a two-run homer over the center field fence. Jeeter Ishida and Paul Snieder added run-scoring hits, Geoffrey Kunita had a two-run double and Matt Suiter capped it with a two-run single, all after two outs.

"They hit the ball, it wasn't like they scored on errors or walks," 'Iolani coach Dean Yonamine said. "They just crushed it in that inning."

But even the 9-0 lead (Snieder's RBI double had put the Buffanblu ahead, 1-0, in the second inning) was not safe.

The Raiders scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning after Case Miyahira's run-scoring single to center and Reyn Nagamine's two-run homer over the right field fence.

Grant Liu's RBI pinch single to left in the fourth made it 9-4, and Brennan Nacario's run-scoring double and Kela Marciel's RBI groundout an inning later closed the Buffanblu's lead to 9-6.

In the sixth, 'Iolani put runners on second and third with one out and Nagamine — an Advertiser All-State first team selection in 2006 — at the plate.

But Ishida got Nagamine swinging on a high 2-2 fastball, and then got a pop fly to second to escape the jam.

"It feels good to be up, 9-0, but everybody in this league can come back," said Ishida, a junior right-hander who finished with nine strikeouts. "I didn't have my best stuff today, but my defense came through for me."

Punahou coach Eric Kadooka said Ishida fought through inconsistency and a tough Raiders lineup to earn the victory.

"That's what this league demands, to battle even without your best stuff, and that's what you expect from a quality pitcher," Kadooka said. "'Iolani's got some dangerous hitters, and Case and Reyn are a two-man wrecking crew. I think Jeeter was conscious of them and wanted to throw strikes with the 9-0 lead, but he got a little over-careful and got out of rhythm. 'Iolani plays with emotion here and it's tough to keep them in check. Even though they were on the road for a week, they don't get down."

Yonamine said "at least half" of Ishida's strikeouts came in crucial moments with the Raiders threatening.

"He got a lot of big strikeouts in key situations," Yonamine said. "There were times when they probably would have traded a run for an out, but he got a strikeout instead."

'Iolani went 2-2 on its road trip, dropping a doubleheader to regional powerhouse Thousand Oaks and beating Beverly Hills and Garden Grove.

PUNAHOU (5-0) 018 000 0 — 9 10 1

'IOLANI (2-2) 003 120 0 — 6 11 0

Jeeter Ishida, Reece Kiriu (7) and Zach Kometani; Kelsey Outram, Jon Okada (3) and Grant Iwamoto. W — Ishida. L — Outram. S — Kiriu.

Leading hitters — Punahou: Paul Snieder 2-3, double, 2 RBIs; Ishida 2-3, double, RBI, 2 runs; Josh Bninski home run, 2 RBIs; Geoffrey Kunita double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Matt Suiter 2 RBIs. 'Iolani: Case Miyahira 3-4, RBI; Brennan Nacario 2-4, double, RBI; Reyn Nagamine home run, 2 RBIs.

SAINT LOUIS 14, PAC-FIVE 6

The Crusaders broke open the game with seven runs in the top of the fourth inning and held off the Wolfpack.

Danny Higa, Cole Shidaki, Keoni Haina and Zach Markwith each had two RBIs for Saint Louis.

SAINT LOUIS (1-3) 232 700 0 — 14 10 3

PAC-FIVE (0-3) 030 020 1 — 6 6 4

Jayson Fukumoto, Kyle Gonzaga (5), Jaeron Nakasone (7) and Keoni Haina. Samson Aina, Kawika Ferrara (3), Ryan DeMello (4), Tyler Moon (4) and Reid Morihara, Keenan Shigematsu (7). W — Fukumoto. L — Samson Aina.

Leading hitters — Saint Louis: Danny Higa triple, 2 RBIs; Cole Shidaki 2-4, double, 2 RBIs; Kyle Gonzaga triple; Keoni Haina double, 2 RBIs; Tamatoa DeMello 2-4; Zach Markwith 2 RBIs. Pac-Five: Zach Fujimoto triple; Bryce Montalbo 2-4.

Reported by Gail Juan

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.