Facing a "must-win" Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball game, 'Iolani turned to its two senior aces, Jarrett Arakawa and Sheldon Lee, and held off Mid-Pacific, 6-3, yesterday at the Owls' Damon Field.

The Raiders improved to 6-5 overall and 1-2 in the ILH's second round. MPI, the first-round runner-up, fell to 8-3, 1-1.

'Iolani's only hope for an ILH championship or a state tournament berth is to finish first or second in the second round, and entering yesterday's game at 0-2, the Raiders' hopes appeared to be fading fast.

But Arakawa held the Owls to three runs and Lee came on in relief leading 4-3 with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, escaping the jam by getting pinch-hitter Harrison Kam to line out to right field.

"Ever since we were little kids, Jarrett and I have been one-two and we've always got each other's back," said Lee, like Arakawa a fourth-year left-handed varsity pitcher.

'Iolani got two insurance runs in the sixth to make it 6-3 after Brett Watanabe's RBI groundout and Tanner Nishioka's bases-loaded walk.

Lee allowed only one base runner — Nik Alarcio reached on a one-out single in the seventh — over the final two innings and got a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.

"Those two guys (Arakawa and Lee) are our leaders, and the way we approached today was, 'If we are going to go down, we're going down with them on the mound,' " Raiders coach Jason Arakaki said.

'Iolani jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, after courtesy runner Andrew Skalman scored on a wild pitch, Arakawa drew a bases-loaded walk and Jensen Park hit a two-run single to center field.

Mid-Pacific closed it to 4-1 in the third, after Cy Higashi led off with a double and scored when Arakawa's throw to first on Tyler Yoshizawa's sacrifice bunt sailed over Watanabe's head.

The Owls then made it 4-3 in the fifth on Ryan Muraoka's two-out, two-run double to center field. After Marcus Doi and Dane Fujinaka drew walks to load the bases, Arakaki summoned Lee to relieve Arakawa.

Lee worked a 1-2 count on Kam, who fouled off two more pitches before hitting the liner to right fielder Park.

MPI coach Dunn Muramaru said he was impressed with Arakawa despite being on the verge of taking the lead against him in fifth.

"Arakawa was the story today," Muramaru said. "The kid is so poised — we tried everything to get to him, but we couldn't. He's just a tough player."

'IOLANI (6-5, 1-2) 040 002 0 — 6 6 2

MID-PACIFIC (8-3, 1-1) 001 020 0 — 3 7 1

Jarrett Arakawa, Sheldon Lee (5) and Tiras Koon. Ryan Muraoka, Lawrence Chew (2), Marcus Doi (6), Kelly Meguro (7) and Dane Fujinaka. W — Arakawa. L — Muraoka. S — Lee.

Leading hitters — 'Iolani: Jensen Park 2-4, 2 RBIs. Mid-Pacific: Nik Alarcio 3-4; Muraoka double, 2 RBIs; Cy Higashi double.

SAINT LOUIS 9, PAC-FIVE 4

Ka'ai Tom batted 3 for 4 with a double, homer and two RBIs, and Jordan Fukumoto and Derek Nakasato also had three hits as the Crusaders beat the Wolf Pack at Ala Wai Field. Kaeo Aliviado also homered for Saint Louis.

SAINT LOUIS (10-1, 2-0) 302 013 0—9 13 1

PAC-FIVE (3-7, 0-2) 000 112 0—4 6 1

Kalei Contrades, Joshua Nakamura (4), Chris Chung (6) and Dallas Correa. Ryan Uenten, Christian Morimoto (3), Jordan Kumasaka (7) and Bryson Kihara. W — Nakamura. L — Uenten.

Leading hitters — Saint Louis: Jordan Fukumoto 3-4, triple, 2 runs; Derek Nakasato 3-5, 2 runs; Kaeo Aliviado 2-4, triple, homer, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Ka'ai Tom 3-4, double, homer, 2 RBIs. Pac-Five: Reyn Sugai 2-3, 2 runs; Noa Okinaka homer, 2 RBIs.

Reported by ILH

PUNAHOU 15, PAC-WEST 1

David Eldredge batted 3 for 4 with two triples, a homer and four RBIs as the Buffanblu beat Pac-West at Ala Wai Field. Punahou's Ty Tirpak, Ryne Sitar, Matthew Tonokawa and Burt Kawamoto combined on a two-hitter. Kellen Abe had both hits.

PAC-WEST (1-8) 001 00— 1 2 4

PUNAHOU (7-2-1) 807 0X—15 10 0

Shayne Nakagawa, Christian Nelligan (4) and Frank Perkins. Ty Tirpak, Ryne Sitar (3), Matthew Tonokawa (4), Burt Kawamoto (5) and Reid Nomura. W — Tonokawa. L — Nakagawa.

Leading hitters — Pac-West: Kellen Abe 2-3. Punahou: Michael Suiter 3 runs; Rolenn Himuro 2 RBIs; David Eldredge 3-4, 2 triples, homer, 2 runs, 4 RBIs; Alaka'i Aglipay 2-2, double, triple, 2 RBIs; Reece Toma 2 runs.

Reported by ILH

ILH SOFTBALL

PUNAHOU 4, ST. FRANCIS 1

Jasmine Ioane pitched a six-hitter and Mysha Sataraka batted 2 for 2 for the host Buffanblu.

ST. FRANCIS (2-5) 000 001 0—1 6 2

PUNAHOU (7-3) 030 010 X—4 6 0

Jasmine Ioane and Kayla Shimoda. Shealee Koki, Kayla Sakamoto (2) and Briana Tovio-Asato. W — Ioane. L — Koki.

Leading hitters — St. Francis: Mia Arroyo 2-2. Punahou: Mysha Sataraka 2-2; Reina Furuya double; Ioane double.

Reported by Paul Smith

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com