Kamehameha's Katelyn Mahelona connects with a pitch to score a three-run home run to cap a five-run forth inning for the Warriors. Celine Truong | Special to SL

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Kamehameha players Congratulate Katelyn Mahelona after hitting a three-run home run for the Warriors. Celine Truong | Special to SL

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Kamehameha's Christine Hipa fields a ball and throws it to second to make an out for the Warrioirs. Evan Asato | SL

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Mid-Pacific's Kaili Ann Akimseu throws a pitch to the plate against the Warriors. Evan Asato | SL

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Kamehameha's Kamalani Dung throws a pitch to the plate against Mid-Pacific. Evan Asato | SL

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Kamehameha's Kamalani Dung throws a pitch to the plate against Mid-Pacific. Evan Asato | SL

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KAPALAMA HEIGHTS — For the second straight year, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu crown belongs to Kamehameha.

Katelyn Mahelona hit a three-run home run to cap a five-run fourth inning and Kamalani Dung threw a complete game in the pitching circle to lead Kamehameha to a 6-3 win over Mid-Pacific Saturday.

The Warriors (12-3), who are ranked second in the ScoringLive/OC16 Softball Power Rankings, will receive the ILH's seeded berth and the accompanying first-round bye in next month's state tournament.

"With a great team like Mid-Pacific, who was coming in hot, this win feels really good to top off the ILH with an awesome victory," Kamehameha coach Aloha Yamaguchi said. "I have no doubt in my mind our girls were able to compete at their best today and they did it."

The game was the final in three-team playoff to determine the league champion. Kamehameha, Mid-Pacific and Maryknoll each went 11-3 in the regular season. The Warriors, by virtue of sweeping the Spartans, received the first-round bye. Mid-Pacific, the top-ranked team in the SL/OC16 Power Rankings, beat third-ranked Maryknoll Thursday to reach Saturday's title game.

"It's awesome, but that was definitely a stressful game," said Dung, who was cautious of Mid-Pacific's offensive prowess. "Throughout their whole lineup, they can hit. Their middle, early parts of their lineup is not only big batters, but they're also base-hitters, so it's pretty scary, but my girls pulled through."

Kamehameha, which has now won two of three against Mid-Pacific this season, sent eight batters to the plate and was aided by a pair of errors in the bottom of the fourth inning. After two quick outs on just four pitches, the Warriors got back-to-back singles by Brooke Sauer and Kiana Burnett. Dung then reached on an error and another Mid-Pacific errors on the play allowed Sauer to score and tie the game at 2-2.

Lia Tom followed with an RBI single to plate Burnett and load the bases for Mahelona, who belted the first pitch she saw from Owls' pitcher Kaili Ann Akimseu to straightaway centerfield to make it 6-2.

"When I was getting up there, I was looking at my two girls on the field and I said, 'You know what? This is for you guys. I got you guys,'" said Mahelona, who batted 2 for 3 from her No. 9 spot in the order. "That ball was like perfect, so I just took it. Tt was definitely God-given."

Mahelona's long ball rejuvenated Dung, who had to pitch from behind twice after allowing runs in the top of the first and fourth innings.

"(Mahelona) came up clutch with that home run from the nine-spot," Dung said. "She's always a good hitter and thank God all the girls pulled it through."

Despite two outs after the first four pitches of the inning, the Warriors remained aggressive at the plate. Four of the eight batters that came to the plate in that inning put the ball into play on the first pitch.

"We want them to be aggressive, yet patient for the pitch that they're looking for, but to come up with a plan," said Yamaguchi, whose team lost in the state title game last year. "Already in their second or third at-bats we want them to make adjustments, so if they're ready to go and they see that first pitch and they're ready, by all means, rip it and hit it hard somewhere."

The Owls made it 6-3 when they scored a run in the top of the sixth. Dung issued four of her five walks for the game in the inning, including a bases-loaded pass to Samantha Sakihara to score Sarah Onishi. However, Dung battled back and struck out leadoff hitter Jenna Kumabe to leave the bases loaded.

"That was probably one of the most exhausting innings of my life," Dung said. "I just turned back and I could see my girls and I could see that they really wanted it and I could see that they had faith in me, so I just made sure to throw it in there and thank God it all worked out in our way."

Dung stranded nine runners on base, scattered five hits and struck out seven batters.

"Kamalani is a competitor and no matter if she's behind in the count or there's runners on, I believe in her that she's going to be able to come back strong and get the next batter," said Yamaguchi, who had Christine Hipa ready to go if Dung couldn't get out of the inning. "If we had to go to her, we could have, but with that fire that Kama has, I know she wanted to stay out there and I'm happy that she finished strong."

Nicole Lopez batted 2 for 4 and hit an RBI-double in the first inning to give Mid-Pacific the early lead, but Kamehameha's Rachel Ogasawara tied it in the third with a solo homer to right centerfield.

Onishi also hit a solo homer, which reclaimed the lead for the Owls in the top of the fourth inning. Akimseu allowed eight hits in six innings and was the losing pitcher.

This was the third meeting between the teams this year. Kamehameha won the first time, 8-4, back on March 15 and Mid-Pacific won the last game, 8-6, on April 9.

Mid-Pacific (12-3), which had its 10-game winning streak snapped with the loss, will be the ILH's second seed in the 12-team state tournament, which runs May 6 to 9 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. It will be the Owls' first trip back to the state tournament since winning back-to-back state titles in 2011 and 2012.