Maryknoll's Joshua Muneno throws a pitch to the plate against Pac-Five. Steve Erler | Special to SL

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WAIPAHU - Powered by their battery of pitcher Joshua Muneno and catcher Neal Nakasone Jr., Maryknoll squeaked by Pac-Five, 4-2, Saturday at Hans L'Orange Park.

With the win, the Spartans (9-1) clinched the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division II regular season title and secured Division II state tournament berth. They still need to win to the post-season double-elimination tournament or playoff, if necessary, to take the overall league crown.

The Wolfpack (6-4) entered the game with a chance to close to within a game of the Spartans with two regular-season games left, but Nakasone's two-run single in the bottom of the second broke a 1-all game and he turned a double play when he made a diving catch of popped bunt and nailed the runner on second with a strong throw. Muneno tossed a six-hitter, allowing two unearned runs and walking two, while striking out four.

"One of his best outings, so far," Maryknoll coach Randy Yamashiro said of Muneno.

The Wolfpack got some hard hits by going opposite field on the right-hander.

"We knew out of the gate they were going to try to put the bat on the ball and they were slapping it that way," Muneno said. "After, we tried to mix it up, going inside and outside, so they weren't just looking oppo (opposite field) the whole time."

"He made some adjustments," Yamashiro said. "He got back to getting his leverage. When you get your leverage and release point, you just throw whatever the catcher calls. As they got more smart at-bats towards the ending of the game, (Muneno) had to step it up again."

Pac-Five starting pitcher Owen Saito had a decent outing, but two walks in the Spartans' two-run second hurt.

"He said he didn't feel his rhythm," Pac-Five coach Dennis Fukunaga said of Saito. "But once he got back in his groove, he did all right. He's a senior, so sometimes you just have to feel yourself back. If he were younger, he might have drifted back."

The Wolfpack scored in the top of the first off Muneno. Saito led off with a double to right and scored on an error off a grounder hit by Lee Tanaka. Tanaka hit a bouncer off Saito's glove that deflected toward second baseman Jarin Kobashigawa, but first baseman Matthew Dunaway dropped the throw, allowing the runner to score.

The threat wasn't over, as Tanaka took second when Nakasone's pick-off throw to first went into right field. But Muneno retired to the next two batters to strand the runner at second.

The Spartans didn't waste time making up the run. Kahi Hirano led off with a ground single to center and took second on Nakasone's sacrifice. Muneno reached on a single off third baseman Christian Jones' glove on a ball that caromed toward shortstop Brandon Miyasato, whose errant throw allowed Hirano to score and Muneno to take second. Jason Nakamura reached first on another throwing error by Miyasato that allowed courtesy runner Kyle Abe to take third. But Saito fought back and retired the next two batters to strand the runners and keep the damage to a minimum.

Maryknoll took the lead in the bottom of the second. Cade Ohata led off with a single to right and took second on Dunaway's sacrifice. But Saito walked Kobashigawa and a passed ball moved the runners to third and second before Hirano walked to load the bases to set up Nakasone's two-run single that sent Hirano to second and gave Maryknoll a 3-1 lead. Muneno, though, lined out to shortstop Miyasato, who fired to second to double-off the runner to end the threat.

Pac-Five cut its deficit to one in the top of the sixth. Tanaka led off with a single, took on Micah Lum's sacrifice and went to third when Casey Wond flied out to center. Tanaka scored when Francis Sonoda reached on second baseman Kobashigawa's throwing error to first, but Muneno struck out Dayne Ramos to end the inning.

The Spartans insured their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Kaliko Thomas led off with a triple to left-center field and scored on Chinen's sacrifice fly to right. Saito got the next two runners, but the damage was done.

"That was huge," Yamashiro said. "You have to capitalize on that."

Jones led off the Pac-Five seventh with a single, but Muneno got the next three batters on grounders to end the game.

"it was a good overall team win today," Muneno said.