Mike Arakaki lined a double to right-center field to score Derek Tan from second base with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning yesterday to lift Mid-Pacific Institute to a pulsating 3-2 victory over Punahou.

A tense crowd of about 350 at MPI's Damon Field watched the Owls, ranked No. 2 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, improve to 11-1 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu and keep pace with No. 1 Saint Louis, also tied for first place at 11-1. Four-time defending state champion Punahou, ranked No. 3, fell to 7-4-1.

The Buffanblu had taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh on Jeeter Ishida's leadoff home run over the center-field fence.

But Mid-Pac rallied in the bottom half as Easton Torigoe led off with a walk, advanced to second on Mikey Nagamine's sacrifice bunt and scored on Tan's single to center, his third hit of the game.

Nick Tasaka followed with another single, slapping the ball through the left side of the infield. Arakaki then sent a 3-2 pitch into the gap in right-center, with the ball perfectly placed between two Punahou fielders and rolling to the fence, allowing Tan to score easily standing up.

"(The Buffanblu) were throwing away most of the at-bat, so I was looking for something away," said Arakaki, a junior third baseman. "I was just trying to get a single, because that's all we really needed. I didn't know for sure (it would get to the gap), because it was kind of small."

The hit was the last in a series of clutch plays executed by the Owls, who took a 1-0 lead in the fourth after Tan's leadoff triple and Tasaka's sacrifice fly to center.

"I give all these guys credit," said MPI coach Dunn Muramaru, pointing to his team. "They're all unselfish. It doesn't matter if they're the third or fourth batter (in the lineup), they know if they get the bunt sign, they better put it down. Even that last run, we don't score if Nick doesn't execute the hit-and-run (the play before)."

The Owls also got a standout performance from starter Dane Kinoshita, a senior right-hander who retired his first eight batters and pitched five shutout innings before Punahou finally manufactured a run to tie it at 1-1 in the sixth.

Geoff Kunita was hit by a pitch to lead off, advanced to second on Matt Suiter's sacrifice bunt and scored sliding home after Zach Kometani's single to center.

Kinoshita went 5 1/3 innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, with three strikeouts and no walks.

"Kinoshita pitched a great game," Muramaru said. "That was clutch, to pitch the way he did in a tight game like that. He just threw strikes."

Matt McDaniel relieved Kinoshita in the fifth and escaped a first-and-second, one-out jam with a double play grounder. But Ishida gave the Buffanblu a 2-1 lead with his solo blast off a 2-1 pitch leading off the sixth.

"They're good," Muramaru said of Punahou. "To beat them, you gotta win it, they're not going to give it to you."

The Buffanblu were coming off a stunning 11-4 loss to 'Iolani on Friday, but Arakaki said the Owls were wary nonetheless.

"Punahou is Punahou — they're always good and they have good players," Arakaki said. "Coach just said to play the way we always do. We pretty much knew we could come back (from down 2-1), because we did it all season."

PUNAHOU (7-4-1) 000 001 1 — 2 5 2

MID-PACIFIC (11-1) 000 100 2 — 3 9 0

Dane Kinoshita, Matt McDaniel (6) and Aaron Fujiki; Reece Kiriu and Zach Kometani. W — McDaniel. L — Kiriu.

Leading hitters — Punahou: Jeeter Ishida home run; Matt Suiter double. Mid-Pacific: Derek Tan 3-3, double, triple, RBI; Mike Arakaki double, RBI.

SAINT LOUIS 12, 'IOLANI 5

Danny Higa and Keoni Haina drove in two runs apiece, and the Crusaders scored seven runs in the bottom of the second inning to defeat the Raiders at Ala Wai field and maintain a share of first place with Mid-Pacific at 11-1.

Tamatoa DeMello and Higa had two hits each. Brennan Nacario drove in two runs for 'Iolani, which fell to 6-6.

'IOLANI (6-6) 202 000 1— 5 7 7

SAINT LOUIS (11-1) 070 320 X—12 9 4

Sheldon Lee, Trent Miyashiro (2), Breland Almadova (3), Ronnie Hirokawa (5), JR Bunda (6) and Grant Iwamoto. Kyle Watase, Jordan Akau (3), Noah Siegfried (5) and Keoni Haina. W — Akau. L — Lee.

Leading hitters — 'Iolani: Lionel Fujioka single, run; Almadova 2-4, 2 singles, 2 runs; Brennan Nacario 2-4, single, triple, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Reyn Nagamine single, RBI; Grant Liu single, RBI; Kela Marciel stolen base. Saint Louis: Tamatoa DeMello 2-4, stolen base, RBI, 2 runs; Danny Higa 2-4, single, double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Kyle Gonzaga double, RBI; 2 runs; Moses Samia triple, RBI, 2 run; Cole Shidaki run; Haina 2 RBIs; Kaden Kamoe stolen base, run; Grant Gabriel double, run; Marcua Kimura single, run.

Reported by Gail Juan

KAMEHAMEHA 11, PAC-FIVE 4

Pi'ikea Kitamura and Kalei Hanawahine drove in three runs, and the Warriors had 15 hits to beat the Wolfpack at Ala Wai field. Kitamura, Keanu Carmichael and T.C. Campbell had three hits each in support of winning pitcher Patrick Akana, who entered the game in the second inning and finished it.

KAMEHAMEHA (5-6) 052 010 3—11 15 1

PAC-FIVE (2-10) 101 020 0— 4 6 0

David Lee, Patrick Akana (2) and Ula Nakamura. Jordan Kumasaka, Tyler Moon (2), Ryan Ueunten (2), Joey Maekawa (3), Shayne Nakata (5). W — Akana. L — Kumasaka.

Leading hitters — Kamehameha: Keanu Carmichael 3-3, triple, 3 runs, RBI; Piikea Kitamura 3-4, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Arlie Johnson double, 2 RBIs, run; Kalei Hanawahine 2-4, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs; Makana Ramie 2-4, 2 triples, 2 runs; T.C. Campbell 3-4, triple, RBI, 3 runs. Pac-Five: Ross Yamato run; Kama Moises run; Travis Ogimi 2-3, RBI, run; JonRay Rodrigues double, RBI, run.

Reported by Gail Juan

DAMIEN 8, MARYKNOLL 2

Travis Derby, Darby Ventura, Michael Memea and Taylor Kauweloa drove in two runs apiece and the Monarchs pounced on the Spartans, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first inning at Ala Wai field. Derby also had three hits. Matt Guzman went 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI for Maryknoll.

MARYKNOLL (0-12) 100 100 0—2 9 2

DAMIEN (4-8) 510 101 X—8 10 1

Craig Shoji, Gavin Oyadomari (4) and David Nishiki. DJ Andrade, Travis Derby (7) and Darby Ventura. W — Andrade. L — Shoji.

Leading hitters — Maryknoll: Josh Arakaki 2-4, double, run; Matt Guzman 3-3, double, RBI; Trevor Saiki 2-3, double, run. Damien: Andrade triple, 3 runs; Oli Meheula run, stolen base; Derby 3-4, double, run, 2 RBIs; Ventura 2 RBIs; Michael Memea double, 2 RBI, run; Taylor Kauweloa 2 RBI; Chris Wakazuru 2-3, run.

Reported by Gail Juan