WAIPI'O — Two-time defending baseball state champion Punahou will be back for more.

The Buffanblu rallied past Iolani, 4-3, last night at Central O'ahu Regional Park in a playoff for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's regular-season title and an automatic state tournament berth. Iolani (10-3) now must either win next week's ILH tournament or hope a number of other things fall into place to earn its first state berth since 2000.

"This feels great," said Punahou second baseman Maika Murashige, a three-year starter who produced the go-ahead RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. "It lets us have a chance to defend the title again."

For the second straight night, the Buffanblu (11-2) were dangerously close to having that chance slip away — or at least be delayed. They forced yesterday's playoff only after holding off Mid-Pacific, 2-1, on Wednesday night after the Owls loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Yesterday, Punahou trailed 1-0 and 3-1, but tied it with two runs in the fifth before Murashige's ground single in the sixth past diving shortstop Brett Hasegawa scored Scott Hiramoto from third base.

Paul Snieder then finished off 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief by getting a strikeout and flyout after allowing a one-out walk in the seventh.

"We came out flat in the beginning, but I think our team leaders jump-started everybody in about the fourth inning," said Murashige, who went 2 for 3. "We have a lot of young guys on this team, sophomores, and they're coming through for us. We've been getting lucky, too."

Hiramoto led off the sixth and reached first when his fly ball was dropped in short right field after a near collision between the second baseman and right fielder. He advanced to second on Justin Ingall's sacrifice bunt and to third on Reece Kiriu's groundout before scoring on Murashige's single up the middle.

"I was looking for a good pitch and just tried to hit it hard," Murashige said.

Buffanblu coach Eric Kadooka said his team has "just scrapped" its way to key victories in the past two weeks.

"We've come back to beat some great teams, and when that happens, it's a beautiful thing," Kadooka said. "Maika's hit was a clutch hit with two outs. This is a different team from the last two years, but the chemistry is there and we've been playing better since the beginning of the season. Hopefully we'll continue to peak and be ready for the state tournament.

"Iolani is a great team, and they deserve to be in the state tournament, too."

After the Raiders took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on two walks and an error, Punahou answered in the bottom half on Jeeter Ishida's sacrifice fly to score Matt Suiter.

Iolani took a 3-1 lead with two outs in the third inning on Wally Marciel's run-scoring double and Hasegawa's RBI single. But the Buffanblu tied it in the fifth when Murashige scored on Bucky Aona's single with no outs and Suiter came home on a double-play grounder to short.

"Punahou's got veteran guys like Bucky and Maika, and they've been there before," Raiders coach Dean Yonamine said. "They know how to get it done."

The double-elimination ILH tournament begins Monday.

IOLANI (10-3) 102 000 0 — 3 6 1

PUNAHOU (11-2) 100 021 X — 4 5 1

Scott Hiramoto, Paul Snieder (4) and Zach Kometani. C.J. Johnson, Kelsey Outram (2), Wally Marciel (5) and Jarvis Nohara. W — Snieder. L — Marciel.

Leading hitters: Iolani — Marciel double; Reyn Nagamine double; Brennan Nacario double. Punahou — Bucky Aona 2-2, RBI; Maika Murashige 2-3, RBI.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.