Given a second chance at controlling its own destiny, Kamehameha cashed in and earned a baseball state tournament berth yesterday morning with a pulsating 6-4 victory over Punahou at Ala Wai Field.

The Warriors, ranked No. 2 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, improved to 15-3 in Interscholastic League of Honolulu play and advanced to Thursday's ILH tournament final. Kamehameha finished second in the regular season and can now finish no worse than second in the tournament, thus clinching the league's second state berth.

No. 3 'Iolani had secured the first state berth by winning the regular season via a victory over Kamehameha on Monday.

The third berth will go to either Saint Louis or Punahou, pending the final results of the tournament. Saint Louis will play at 'Iolani at 3:45 p.m. Monday, and the winner faces No. 9 Punahou in another elimination game Tuesday.

"Honestly, I think we're playing as well as everybody else, but Kamehameha deserved to win this game, they deserve to go to states," said Punahou coach Eric Kadooka.

The five-time defending state champion Buffanblu, who finished fourth in the regular season at 8-6, defeated Saint Louis and 'Iolani in their first two tournament games and overcame a 4-1 deficit yesterday to tie it at 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning.

But the Warriors responded in the bottom of the frame with Arlie Johnson's solo home run over the left-field fence and Jacob Meyer's two-out, RBI single to right field.

Kamehameha had a runner picked off first base immediately before Johnson's homer.

"When they tied the game, we had to dig down deep and focus," Johnson said. "It was a fastball in, and I was just looking for something I could hit to get on (base) for the next guy."

Pinch-hitter Kash Kalohelani followed with a single to left and stole two bases before coming home on Meyer's single.

Warriors starter Alika Pruett then retired the side in order in the seventh to seal the game.

Pruett, a senior right-hander, allowed eight hits and three walks and hit three batters, but also recorded six strikeouts.

"Alika did a fabulous job today," Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie said. "He didn't have command, but he gutted it out and shut them down when he needed to."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456. Read his blog on high school sports at www.preptalk.honadvblogs.com.

PUNAHOU (10-7) 101 002 0—4 8 0

KAMEHAMEHA (15-3) 400 002 X—6 11 0

Evan Lim, Burt Kawamoto (1), Jeremy Fujimoto (6) and Tyler Young. Alika Pruett and Keanu Carmichael. W — Pruett. L — Fujimoto.

Leading hitters — Punahou: Michael Suiter 2-2; Young 2 RBIs; Kainoa Crowell triple; Tyler Hanzawa 2-3. Kamehameha: Arlie Johnson homer, 2 RBIs; Jacob Meyer 3-4; Kewby Meyer 2 RBIs; Carmichael 2-3, double; Josh Wong double.

'IOLANI 6, DAMIEN 1

Breland Almadova allowed one run over four innings and Jarrett Arakawa pitched the final three for the save as the Raiders beat the Monarchs at Ala Wai field.

Iolani's Buen Hatanaka hit a two-run homer and Trent Miyashiro also drove in two runs.

DAMIEN (5-12) 010 000 0—1 4 1

'IOLANI (15-3) 201 300 X—6 6 3

Douglas Andrade, Travis Derby (6) and David Vasconcellos. Breland Almadova, Jarrett Arakawa (5) and Grant Iwamoto. W — Almadova. L — Andrade.

Leading hitters — Damien: Andrade double; Chris Wakazuru double. 'Iolani: Arakawa triple; Buen Hatanaka homer, 2 RBIs; Trent Miyashiro 2 RBIs.

Reported by Nick Bradley.

SAINT LOUIS 4, MID-PACIFIC 2

Lucas Gonsalves was hit by a pitch to force in Kyle Watase with the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning as the Crusaders beat the Owls at Ala Wai field.

The next batter, Moses Samia, also was hit by a pitch to force in an insurance run for Saint Louis.

SAINT LOUIS (9-8) 001 100 2—4 8 1

MID-PACIFIC (11-6) 000 011 0—2 7 0

Derek Nakasato, Kini Enos (5), Chris Chung (7) and Jordan Fukumoto. Robert Dittrick, Gavin Kinoshita (5), Dylan Tawata (7), Davis Chang (7) and Dane Fujinaka. W — Enos. L — Tawata. S — Chung.

Leading hitters — Saint Louis: Evan Fujihara 3-4; Moses Samia 2-3, triple; Keoki Lopez 2-3. Mid-Pacific: Justin Protacio 3-4, double, triple; Michael Arakaki double.

Reported by Nick Bradley.

OIA RED TOURNAMENT

MOANALUA 8, CAMPBELL 7

Tim Arakawa hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth for host Na Menehune in the tournament's third-place game.

Jacob Fukuyama worked the final four innings for the victory.

CAMPBELL (9-6) 024 100 0—7 10 2

MOANALUA (11-4) 121 013 X—8 8 1

Allyn Oliva-Respicio, Chad Kaalekahi (6) and Keanu Kapana. Jordan DuPont, Regan Lum (3), Jacob Fukuyama (4) and Chris Liu-Saguid. W — Fukuyama. L — Kaalekahi.

Leading hitters — Campbell: Mike Memea 3-4, 2 doubles; Kapana 3-4, double; Jumar Gonzales double. Moanalua: Tim Arakawa homer, 4 RBIs; Michael Egami 2-3, double.

Reported by Scott Yamada.