Big-game pressure and late-inning deficits don't seem to bother the Pearl City baseball team.

After all, 12 players were on the Pearl City team that advanced to the Little League Senior (ages 15-16) World Series final last summer.

Pearl City rekindled some summer magic by scoring five runs in the sixth inning on three hits and two errors to rally past visiting Moanalua, 6-4, yesterday in the first round of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association playoffs.

"I told them in 15 years (of coaching) I've never had a game like this," Chargers coach Mel Seki said. "They showed me that the game isn't over until the last out. For them to come back like this, it shows a lot of courage and a lot of heart."

Carlton Tanabe tripled in two runs in the sixth to tie the game at 4, and the Chargers added runs on a throwing error by the third baseman and an RBI single by pinch hitter Jeffrey Domingo.

"I was just looking fastball and hopefully I hit it and it goes far," Tanabe said of his triple.

Pearl City, the West's third-place team, improved to 8-3 and will face East runner-up Roosevelt today at Stevenson Intermediate field. Moanalua's season ends at 6-5.

With one out in the sixth, Ryno Acosta's fly ball was dropped by the left fielder for a two-base error.

"When they misplayed the fly ball, that really turned things around," Seki said. "I think that was the big play. Things steamrolled from there and the ball began to bounce our way."

Kellen Ushijima singled in Acosta and was removed for pinch runner Jonathan Abe, and Bryson Nakamura walked and was replaced by courtesy runner Kurt Poentis. Tanabe followed with a line shot to right-center field against Na Menehune starter Kekoa Lee.

"He's been struggling of late, but in preseason games against Moanalua he hit real well and I said, 'Well, this is the team he hits' and sure enough he came through," Seki said of Tanabe.

Chad Quillopo hit a grounder to the third baseman, who looked courtesy runner Jordan DeKneef back to third, but threw low to first. DeKneef scored on the play and Quillopo reached first.

Quillopo advanced to second after tagging up on a foul out to catcher Chris Liu-Saguid, who made a nice catch near the backstop. He scored on Domingo's single to left.

"Giving up that four-, five-out inning — that hurts," Moanalua coach Scott Yamada said.

Nakamura, a left-hander, allowed eight hits with one walk and four strikeouts in a complete-game performance. He stranded eight runners over the first five innings.

Nakamura allowed three runs on three hits and two errors in the fifth, including a lead-off homer to left by Jordan Monico. The inning put Moanalua up 4-1.

"Bryson is not a strikeout pitcher," Seki said. "He's a control pitcher. He mixes it up. He'll scatter the hits and the only real big hit was that home run."

As far as playing again with his summer teammates, Nakamura said: "We are kind of used to playing in pressure games. Maybe that's why we came through today."

MOANALUA (6-5) 010 030 0—4 8 2

PEARL CITY (8-3) 010 005 X—6 7 6

Kekoa Lee and Chris Liu-Saguid. Bryson Nakamura and Carlton Tanabe. W — Nakamura. L — Lee.

Leading hitters — Moanalua: Jordan Monico 2-4, homer. Pearl City: Rorry Nakayama triple; Matthew Tanaid 2-3, double; Kurt Poentis 2 runs; Tanabe 2-2, triple, 2 RBIs.

CASTLE 6, KAPOLEI 5

Brandon Gross singled home Marcus Ofoia with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to break a 5-all tie and lift the Knights over the Hurricanes.

Pulama Silva, who hit a two-run home run in the fourth, led off the seventh with a triple and was replaced by courtesy runner Kelly Berinobis, who scored on a one-out sacrifice fly by Kainoa Tom to tie the game at 5.

CASTLE (7-3-1) 200 200 2—6 10 2

KAPOLEI (7-4) 102 020 0—5 11 1

Pulama Silva and Lyle Kitagawa. Kalani Omoto, Oliver Taoy (4) and Michael Kahalehoe, Omoto (4). W — Silva. L — Taoy.

Leading hitters — Castle: Brandon Gross 3-3, RBI; Kitagawa homer, 2 RBIs; Trevor Okumura 2-2; Silva homer, triple, 2-3, 2 RBIs. Kapolei: Kalani Brackenridge 2-4; Curtis Donald double, 2-3; Aaron Santiago 3-4, 3 RBIs; Kahalehoe 2-3, 2 RBIs.

Reported by Tom Ebanez

KAISER 1, WAI'ANAE 0

Toby Inouye tossed a two-hitter with seven strikeouts and one walk as the host Cougars edged the Seariders.

Nathan Masaki scored the only run of the game on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth. Masaki was pinch running for Joe Honma, who got on with a two-out double.

WAI'ANAE (7-4) 000 000 0—0 2 0

KAISER (8-3) 000 001 X—1 2 1

Bud Pickering, Ben McQuown (6) and Ka'aina Kalaola-Meyer. Toby Inouye and Bryce Marcouillier. W — Inouye. L — McQuown.

Leading hitters — Wai'anae: Duseigner double. Kaiser: Mike Ramia double; Joe Honma double.

Reported by Kelsey Maeda

KALANI 3, LEILEHUA 1

Micah Takahashi tossed a two-hitter with nine strikeouts and Ridge Carpenter went 2 for 3 with a triple and an RBI as the Falcons beat the Mules at Central O'ahu Regional Park.

Shamus Kumashiro inherited two base-runners with one out in the top of the seventh and retired the only two batters he faced to earn the save.

LEILEHUA (7-4) 000 001 0—1 2 2

KALANI (8-3) 001 020 X—3 6 2

Brett Nakasone, Darren Baccay (5) and Ehukai Woolley. Micah Takahashi, Shamus Kumashiro (7) and Jason Lee. W — Takahashi. L — Nakasone. S — Kumashiro.

Leading hitters — Leilehua: Woolley RBI; Brendon Nagaji double. Kalani: Ridge Carpenter 2-3, triple, RBI; Jordan Sumida RBI; Lee 2-3, double, RBI.

Reported by Shannon Hirai

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.