Mid-Pacific shortstop Jacob Maekawa finished the game on the mound against Punahou to help the Owls capture their fifth straight league title. John Lujan | Special to SL

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So often for the Mid-Pacific Owls, when the going gets tough, they turn to Jacob Maekawa.

Maekawa came through once again Tuesday afternoon, helping MPI close out a back-and-forth 3-2 win over Punahou to claim its fifth consecutive Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I baseball title.

The 5-foot-9 right-hander — with his three-quarters delivery — put the clamps on a Buffanblu scoring threat in the bottom of the fifth. He inherited two baserunners and a 2-0 count to leadoff hitter Cole Cabrera from starter Ethan Fujikami when he moved from shortstop to the mound.

Maekawa worked the count full to Cabrera before walking him to load the bases. However, catcher Kyle Laguan made an ill-advised throw to third base that was off line and got away from third baseman Trevin Tengan, which allowed Austin Horio to score the tying run from third base.

Not to worry.

Maekawa stopped the bleeding by getting designated hitter Noah Goss — a .439 hitter — to pop out to left field for the third out.

"It's just damage control, really," Maekawa said. "If they score, keep it under control, keep it within a close distance. We have faith in each other to come back, so it's just damage control."

MPI left a runner on base in each of the previous three innings. Ryne Yamashiro led off the second inning with a double, but never advanced past second base. Maekawa drew a two-out walk in the third, but was also left stranded.

"We just had to keep the pressure on," said Maekawa, who is batting .362 from the leadoff spot this year. "The more runners you put in scoring position the harder it'll be for them. They have to crack sooner or later, so just keep the pressure on."

Punahou's lead — it's second of the game — was short-lived. The Owls scored the tying and go-ahead runs — Maekawa being the latter after reaching base on a one-out single — in the bottom of the fifth and consequently chased Buffanblu starter Kahi Bisho from the game.

It was all the help that Maekawa needed. He threw a perfect sixth inning but ran into some trouble in the seventh.

After getting Asa Kurasaki to ground out to start the inning, Maekawa beaned Kai Terada-Herzer to put the tying run on base. Noah Loughlin followed with a one-out single before Colin Freeman grounded into a fielder's choice for the second out. Maekawa then walked Cabrera to load the bases, which drew Owls' coach Dunn Muramaru out of the dugout.

It wasn't, however, to settle down Maekawa.

"It was to make sure we knew what we were doing defensively; I didn't say anything to him," Muramaru said. "I just let him go and whatever happens, happens because he's probably the one guy that wants to get back to the states after what happened last year."

Muramaru was referring to the 2015 state final, in which Maekawa threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings before surrendering the game-winning run in an eighth-inning walkoff loss to Campbell.

Tuesday afternoon there was no such victory for the visiting Buffanblu as Maekawa got Goss to fly out to end the game with the bases loaded.

Maekawa, who is 4-2 with one save and a 2.80 ERA in 15 innings pitched this season, said he felt confident in his ability to finish it out.

"My ball was really moving a lot today, so I knew if I just kept it down it we would probably get a ground ball, so I wasn't too worried," Maekawa said. "It's a championship game, runners in scoring position so it's just sticking to the game plan no matter what the situation is."

As a sophomore Maekawa earned Honorable Mention All-Hawaii distinction, mainly as a relief pitcher. Last season he was named to the First Team as a second baseman. Accolades aside, Muramaru said Maekawa's value to the Owls is immeasurable.

"He's just the emotional leader of the team and I'm going to miss him. That's one guy I'll miss," Muramaru said.

The Owls will have a first-round bye in next week's Wally Yonamine Foundation/Hawaii High School Athletic Association State Championships at Iron Maehara Stadium in Wailuku, Maui.