Punahou's Noah Goss collected two hits and scored three times in a win over Maryknoll. Evan Asato | SL

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ALA WAI – The classroom moved to the diamond for both No. 6 Punahou and Maryknoll.

Codey Kitagawa and Jerick Nomura each batted in three runs and Geoffrey Moore pitched 2 1/3 scoreless inning of relief to help No. 6 Punahou beat Maryknoll, 15-5, Friday in Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I .

The game was called with two out in the bottom of the sixth when the Buffanblu (2-1) scored three runs to set off the 10-run differential mercy rule at Ala Wai Field.

Maryknoll (0-3) scored four runs in the top of the fourth to overcome an early 3-1 deficit. But the Buffanblu sent 11 batters to the plate in a seven-run bottom of the fourth and never looked back.

It was an education for both teams trying to contend in the competitive ILH. Punahou is coming off a 5-10 season, while Maryknoll is making the adjustment to Division I after winning three consecutive Division II state titles (four overall).

"It's just overall," Maryknoll coach Randy Yamashiro said. "We've got to get used to D-1 level competition. That's what our pitchers and all of our players are learning. It's not just the walks. It's small little things. This is what we have to go through: our learning curve."

Three Maryknoll pitchers combined issued 10 walks. Starting pitcher Ryan Strumbaugh could not hold on to the 5-3 lead when he walked the first two batters in the bottom of the fourth. Reliever Derrick Kurihara did not fare any better, walking three of the four batters he faced; the only player he didn't walk hit a bases-clearing triple. Dylan Takara walked one in three innings, but gave up six runs (all earned) on seven hits.

Even though Punahou won handily, it had its issues. Starting pitcher Kekoa Viera could not hold on to the 3-1 lead his offense spotted him. He allowed five runs (all earned) on three hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings. The defense did not help either in the Spartans' fourth-run fourth inning, committing two errors and allowing a infield pop up to the left side to drop for a single at the blustery field.

"It was a little bit of apprehension," Punahou coach Keenan Sue said. "We have a new shortstop out there. Before the game, we made a point to say it's windy, so you need to offset the ball and kind of drift towards Ala Wai (canal) and come back. I think that got in their head a little bit and then nobody wanted the ball. It happens. It's a mental mistake. Those are the kinds of things we cannot do if we want to play a high level, if we want to compete in this league. We still have a lot of things to tune up. We're definitely not in mid-season form yet."

But Sue was pleased that his players responded quickly in regaining the lead.

"We're always out here trying to build character and build resilience," Sue said. "It's tough to get kicked in the mouth and you're down two runs. I thought it was great how they battled back.

The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the first. Cade Ohata led off with a walk, stole second, went to third on when Kobashigawa flied out to right and scored on a wild pitch. Viera then retired the side in order the next two innings.

Punahou scored twice in the bottom of the first using five steals in the process. Cole Cabrera led off with a single to short, stole second and scored on Noah Goss' single to right. Goss then stole second and third bases before scoring on Kitagawa's double. Despite allowing two more walks in the inning, Stumbaugh managed to escape without further damage to keep the game close.

Punahou added a run in top of the third using the running game again. Easton Takamoto walked with one out, stole second and third bases and scored on Kai Terada-Herzer's sacrifice fly to right that made it 3-1.

Viera, though, walked Kobashigawa to lead off the inning and start the collapse. The only out Viera recorded was when Shane Himeda was called out for interfering with the catcher's throw on a steal attempt by Kobashigawa, who had to return to first. But Chayson Dulatre's double sent Kobashigawa to third and Matt Dunaway reached on the pop single on the left side, as the runners held their bases. Jonah Chinen singled home a run, but the cutoff man, first baseman Takamoto, made wild throw to third allowing two more runs to score and send Chinen to third, where he scored on Kaliko Thomas' sacrifice fly to center. Right fielder Nomura dropped Drayden Yamauchi's fly for a three-base error and Kyle Abe walked to end Viera's day. Enter Moore, who got Ohata on a grounder to second to keep damage to a minimum.

But Maryknoll failed to hold the lead and back-to-back walks by Austin Horio and Cabrera to start the inning chased Stumbaugh. Kurihara would walk the first two batters he faced to force across a run and reload the bases to set up Nomura's bases-clearing triple. Nomura would score on the play when a throw home was wild. After Kurihara issued his third walk, he was pulled for Takara, who walked the first batter he faced to put runners at first and second. After advancing on Andrew Matsueda's sacrifice, pinch hitter Brent Shimoda struck out, but pinch hitter Logan Williams delivered a two-run single before Takara got the final out, as Punahou took a 10-5 lead.

The Buffanblu scored three in the fifth on Kitagawa's sacrifice fly and pinch hitter Noah Loughlin's two-run double.

Punahou ended the game with two out in the bottom of the sixth. Pinch hitter Hunter Chow singled and scored on Colin Freeman's triple. Takamoto end the game with an RBI single that set the 10-run difference.

Moore settled the game with his 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He scattered three hits with a walk to pick up the win.

"What Geoff does best is he throws strikes," Sue said. "He doesn't do anything fancy, but he's a competitor."