Punahou pulls away from PAC-5 to notch first ILH win

Brandon Ching | SL

Punahou trailed early but pulled away to get into the ILH win column for the first time after knocking off PAC-5, 7-4, at Ala Wai Field Tuesday afternoon.

The Buffanblu (1-5) did its damage in the first three innings to halt a five-game losing streak and kept the Wolfpack (0-5) winless on the ILH Division I season.

PAC-5 pounced with three runs on four hits in the first inning. Ethan and Ezra Lee singled and faced with two outs, Tyler Clark drove in the Wolfpack's first run and Keaka Bennett followed up with another then scored off an error for a 3-0 lead.

Raidan Shibayama doubled then scored off Zak Komeiji's line drive. Owen Rappe went 2 for 3 and tripled to plate a run and tied up the game at 3 on a passed ball.

The Buffanblu scored a pair of runs in the second and third inning to pull away. Rappe brought in a pair of runs with a line drive to right field in the second. Shibayama's second hit of the afternoon scored Aaron Taka and Jake Hiromoto's fielder's choice scored Punahou's final run of the afternoon.

PAC-5 scored their final run in the fifth inning after Jaxson Cadiz reached on an error and Ezra Lee brought him in from third on a liner to left field.

Nathan Overbeek (1-1) picked up the win tossing five innings, scattering six Wolfpack hits with a strikeout. 49 of Overbeek's 71 pitches went for strikes. Cade Watson earned the save on 26 pitches with three strikeouts.

Tyler Clark (0-1) took the loss with two innings pitched, three of the five runs were earned, as he struck out two and walked one.

Punahou faces No. 2 Saint Louis on Saturday at Ala Wai Field at 10 am while PAC-5 closes out the week at Iolani on Saturday at 9 am.

Both teams are scheduled to face each other at Central Oahu Regional Park on Apr. 16 at 3:30 p.m.

Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].