The Mid-Pacific baseball team spent most of last night's game against Kamehameha searching for clutch hits.

The Owls finally found what they were looking for when they got down to their final out.

Mid-Pacific scored four runs with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to beat Kamehameha, 5-4, in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu game at Ala Wai field.

Things looked bleak for Mid-Pacific in the seventh when it had two outs and runners at first and second, trailing 4-1.

But Nick Tasaka had an RBI single to right on a 2-2 pitch, and pinch hitter Lyle Shimata singled to right to score another run and make it 4-3.

Mid-Pacific scored the tying run on a double to left by Todd Nagamine, with Tasaka scoring.

"I was just looking for a fastball in the zone," Nagamine said. "Looking for it down because I didn't want to pop it up."

After an intentional walk to Russell Doi to load the bases, Wade Tamaru walked on four pitches to force in the go-ahead run.

Over the first six innings, the Owls were 1 of 8 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners on base, including seven in scoring position. In the seventh, Mid-Pacific was 4 of 6 with runners in scoring position.

"You cannot coach that kind stuff," said Mid-Pacific coach Dunn Muramaru of the winning rally. "Don't ask me. I don't know."

In the bottom of the seventh, Mid-Pacific reliever Gavin Kinoshita retired the first two batters, but the Warriors put two runners in scoring position after a single up the middle by Piikea Kitamura and an infield single by Arlie Johnson. On Johnson's hit, the throw from the shortstop got past the first baseman, which allowed both runners to advance.

Kinoshita struck out the final batter to end the game.

"I was throwing off-speed (pitches) because I thought they would rip my fastball," said Kinoshita, who pitched the final two innings for the victory.

Mid-Pacific, ranked No. 2 in The Advertiser's Top 10 poll, improved to 9-1. It is tied with Saint Louis atop the league standings. Kamehameha dropped to 4-5-1.

"If we had lost this game, we're right in the middle of the pack," Muramaru said.

Kamehameha starter Chris Pascual pitched 6 1/3 innings before exiting. He threw 121 pitches.

The Warriors reliever struck out the first batter he faced, before five consecutive Owls reached and they took the lead.

"We just got to do a better job of trying to close out a game," said Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie. "That's been the story of our season. We've had several games where we had the lead late in the game and haven't been able to close it out."

Matthew McDaniel started for Mid-Pacific and allowed three hits and four runs — two earned — in 5-plus innings. He walked five and struck out two.

Kamehameha scored two runs in the fourth on a bad-hop two-run single by pinch hitter Jonathan James. In the sixth, the Warriors scored twice with the help of two Owls' errors.

The Owls were coming off a 9-8, 11-inning loss to Saint Louis on Saturday. In that game, Mid-Pacific scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game before losing in extra innings.

"It's really big," Nagamine said of last night's victory. "It kind of rejuvenates our team."

MID-PACIFIC (9-1) 000 202 0—4 6 2

KAMEHAMEHA (4-5-1) 001 000 4—5 8 4

Matthew McDaniel, Gavin Kinoshita (6) and Aaron Fujiki. Chris Pascal, Kapena Kalehuawehe-Gomes (7), Tucker Troy (7) and Keanu Carmichael. W — Kinoshita. L — Kalehuawehe-Gomes.

Leading hitters — Mid-Pacific: Michael Nagamine 2-4; Derek Tan double; Todd Nagamine 3-4, double. Kamehameha: Michael Tokunaga 2 runs; Jonathan James 2 RBIs; Makana Ramie double.

Reported by Gail Juan

NO.1 SAINT LOUIS 8, DAMIEN 6

Cole Shidaki doubled, homered and drove in three runs, and Marcus Kimura went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, leading top-ranked Saint Louis (9-1) to a victory over Damien (3-7) at Mid-Pacific's field.

Darby Ventura hit a three-run homer in the third inning and added a two-run shot in the fifth for Damien. Travis Derby went 3 for 4 and Taylor Kauweloa had two hits for Damien.

DAMIEN (3-7) 300 120 0—6 10 3

SAINT LOUIS (9-1) 006 110 X—8 10 2

Isaac Ventura and Darby Ventura. Josh Saio, Kamakani Usui (5), Tamatoa DeMello (7) and Keoni Haina, Moses Samia (7). W — Saio. L — Ventura. Save — DeMello

Leading hitters — Damien: Travis Derby 3-4, 2 runs; D. Ventura 2-4, 2 runs, 3-run homer, 2-run homer, 5 RBIs; Taylor Kauweloa 2-4, double. Saint Louis: Marcus Kimura 2-4, double, 2 RBIs; Cole Shidaki 2-3, double, homer, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Haina 2-3, double.

Reported by Duane Fraticelli

NO. 3 PUNAHOU 5, MARYKNOLL 1

Matt Suiter drove in two runs and Paul Snieder and Reece Kiriu each paired hits, leading the third-ranked Buffanblu (7-2-1) over the Spartans (0-10) at Ala Wai field.

Gavin Oyadomori went 2 for 3 for the Spartans.

MARYKNOLL (0-10) 000 010 0—1 6 3

PUNAHOU (7-2-1) 002 120 X—5 8 2

Gavin Oyadomori, Jordan Kurokawa (3), Matt Guzman (4), Craig Shoji (5), Jeff Hagino (6) and David Nishiki. Jacob Ellis, Alaka'i Aglipay (6), Evan Yamamoto (7), Jeremy Fujimoto (7) and Zach Kometani. W — Ellis. L — Kurokawa.

Leading hitters — Maryknoll: Oyadomori 2-3; Zack Fujimoto RBI. Punahou: Matt Suiter 2 RBIs; Paul Snieder 2-2, triple; Kometani triple; Reece Kiriu 2-3; Landen Taga double.

Reported by Gail Juan

'IOLANI 6, PAC-FIVE 0

JR Bunda and Ronnie Hirokawa combined on a one-hitter, Breland Almadova had a single, double and triple and drove in two runs, and Brennan Nacario went 3 for 3 with an RBI to lead the host Raiders (5-5) over the Wolfpack (2-8).

PAC-FIVE (2-8) 000 000 0—0 1 1

'IOLANI (5-5) 300 012 X—6 12 0

Ryan Ueunten, Joey Maekawa (2) and Reid Morihara. JR Bunda, Ronnie Hirokawa (5) and Grant Iwamoto. W — Bunda. L — Ueunten. Save — Hirokawa.

Leading hitters — 'Iolani: Jarrett Arakawa 2-3, RBI; Breland Almadova 3-4, triple, double, 2 RBIs; Brennan Nacario 3-3, double, RBI; Reyn Nagamine 2-3, 2 RBIs.

Reported by Dean Yonamine