Brandon Roberts was 2-of-3 at the plate and batted 2 RBIs and scored 3 runs for Kalani against Moanalua. Tyler Guieb | Special to SL

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Kalani pitcher Dallas Asuncion throws a pitch to the plate against Moanalua. Felipe Ojastro | SL

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Tyler Fujimoto slides into home for a run. Fujimoto was 1-of-2 at the plate and batted 3 RBIs for Moanalua against Kalani. Evan Asato | SL

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Ryan Sato connects with a pitch against Moanalua. Sato was 3-of-4 at the plate and batted in 2 RBIs; scored 3 runs and stole a base for Kalani. Tyler Guieb | Special to SL

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It took a little while for the Kalani offense to get loose and rolling, but once it did, there was no stopping it.

Kalani (5-2) spotted Moanalua (5-2) a three-run advantage before exploding for 16 runs on 16 hits in the game, which included a streak of 8 unanswered runs between the third and fifth innings to set the tone.

"A lot has to do with us playing loose and just playing," said Kalani head coach Shannon Hirai. "Sometimes we're so uptight we tend to try to do too much. And somehow, every though we're down 3-0, we find a way to stay loose and things went our way."

Led by Ryan Sato's 3-for-4 day at the plate with 3 runs and 2 RBIs, the 3-4-5-6 hitters in Kalani's order came up big against Moanalua, accounting for half of the hits, 7 runs and 8 RBis on the afternoon. Brandon Roberts added a 2-for-3 day at the dish with 3 runs and 2 RBIs,  and Ryan Shitanishi 2-for-4.

"Ryan (Sato) has struggled, he had loaded bases I think against Kaiser and had a first pitch pop-up, so it was good for him to get those hits today," remarked Hirai. "If we can just continue this, maybe we'll be alright."

Ian Higa, who batted in the six hole, added a laser beam shot over the Moanalua left fielder for a three-run home run that effectively put the game out of reach.

"I just see-the-ball, hit-the-ball," said Higa of his home run swing. "I just think about what the coaches say, to just relax out there and take back everything you did the last at-bats and focus on the next at-bat."

"I was thinking all the way on that one," laughed Higa, when asked about whether or not he intended to go for the round trip after connecting on the pitch.

Moanalua got on the board early courtesy of a Kenji Yamaguchi single that brought home Casey Yap in the bottom of the first, then added two more runs in the last of the second, as Nicholas Enrico scored off of passed ball and a Drake Fukushima sacrifice fly scored Tyler Fujimoto tagging up from third.

Kalani starter Dallas Asuncion started off somewhat shaky, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits with 2 walks and a hit batter in his first two innings of work, but eventually settled down through the middle stretch, allowing just 1 run on four hits, with four strikeouts and just two walks in the four innings that followed.

"He's got to hit his spots. He's not going to blow away people and I think our defense is fairly solid," said Hirai. "We just have to rely on those guys a little bit more and I think when our pitchers just pound the strike zone we're in good shape."

The Falcons started the top of the third drawing back-to-back walks off of Na Menehune starter Nicholas Manago. but Moanalua battled back to get the next two batters out. That brought Ryan Sato to the plate, and the senior delivered, lacing a shot past the second baseman to score both Sean Romo and Micah Wong, and the rally was on.

Two more Falcons' runners would cross the plate on three base hits before Manago yielded to Trevor Inouye, who retired the first batter he faced to put an end to the inning.

Kalani continued to swing the bat in the fourth, plating three more runs off of four more hits, highlighted a towering shot to right center for a triple by Brandon Roberts.

The fireworks for the Falcons continued in the top of the sixth, as four more runs crossed the plate, three of them courtesy of a deep shot by Ian Higa that carried well over the outfielder in left field for a home run to spot Kalani a 12-4 lead heading into the seventh.

"It was kind of big for him," said Hirai of the home run for Higa. "Only thing he needs to do is relax and trust his hands. He's kind of over-thinking at times."

Asuncion came on in the seventh looking for the complete game, but eventually yielded to reliever Matthew Beall after 6 2/3 innings of work.

Seven Na Menehune pitchers took the hill against the Falcons, with Tanner Inouye taking the loss.

Casey Isa led Moanalua with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate, including a double and 3 runs scored. Tyler Fujimoto added a bases-clearing single in the bottom of the seventh that trimmed the lead to eight, but the Falcons were able to force a ground out to end it on the next at-bat.

The win moved Kalani into a three-way tie with Moanalua and Roosevelt for second place in what looks to be shaping to be a down-to-the-wire divisional race.

"We just want to keep a roll going, you know, once you start rolling, you can just keep going," said Higa.

Kalani will look to keep things rolling as they take on Kalaheo, while Moanalua will look to get back into the win column as they face off with division-leading Kailua. Both teams get back on the diamond Wednesday.