Brayton Sakai drove in the game-winning run on a bases-loaded single with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally Moanalua to a 5-4 win over visiting Kalani on Senior Day.

"It huge, its just a good feeling.. knowing that its our Senior Day and to be heading into the playoffs on the right note." said Sakai.

The home team struck first, scoring two runs in the opening inning, as Christian Yap singled home Elijah Monis from third, and then later came home on throwing error.

Kalani got on the scoreboard in the top of the third as Justyn Wee came home from third on a Royce Yamamoto single to left, and Moanalua managed to push the lead back to 2 in the bottom of the sixth as Mark Kuga came home to score on a throwing error following a Tyler Fujimoto single.

Then, with Na Menehune leading 3-1 in the top of the seventh inning, the Falcons' Micah Wong drew a leadoff walk, and Sean Romo followed with a single to center to advance Wong to second with no outs.

Wong and Romo both came home to score on a throwing error on a fielders' choice on the next at-bat, and the Falcons threatened to add more to the scoreboard with two runners on and just one out. But Fujimoto struck out the final two batters he faced to end the threat.

The Falcons got things going in the eighth in almost the same manner as they did in the sixth, as Reece Kakugawa walked to start the inning and Ryen Shintanishi singled to left field to put the go-ahead run at second.

Sean Romo moved Kakugawa to third on a fielder's choice, setting the table for Yamamoto who laced a ground ball single into left to give Kalani a 4-3 advantage.

"We got to get into a situation where the game was on the line so the experience will help." said Kalani head coach Shannon Hirai. "In the past, we wouldn't have even tied the game the way our hitting's been going, so we're growing."

Down to their final three outs, Moanalua would mount a rally of their own, as Fujimoto got aboard with a one-out single, and Josh Dulaney and Jordaan Salas drew back-to-back walks to load the bases.

That set the stage for Sakai's game-winner.

"Coach told me to relax, stay in the moment, just love it and it just happened." said Sakai of his game-winning hit. "Even though I made the error, I wanted to just come out strong."

Sakai connected with a pitch earlier in the at-bat that looked off the bat to be of the walk-off variety but sailed just foul.

"My coach told me to look for the fastball, and the pitch was a fastball. But you gotta flush it like everyone says." remarked Sakai.

Moanalua (7-5) secured the third seed out of the East with the win over Kalani (5-7), while the Falcons are seeded fifth by virtue of a season sweep of Roosevelt (5-7).

"I told our kids, we have to win if we want to get to number three (seed out of the East). Two would have been nice but you know what, I'll be satisfied with three, we just have to take care of our stuff." said Yamada.