Saint Louis pitcher Josh Saio accomplished his top individual goal for the season last night, and he did it in impressive fashion.

Saio pitched a four-hitter with 11 strikeouts as Saint Louis beat four-time defending state champion Punahou, 7-3, in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball game at Ala Wai Field.

"It feels awesome," said Saio, a senior left-hander. "That was my No. 1 goal at the start of the season, to beat Punahou. We did it and now we can go forward from here."

Saint Louis, ranked No. 3 in The Advertiser's Top 10 poll, improved to 6-1. No. 2 Punahou dropped to 5-2. No. 1 Mid-Pacific is atop the standings at 7-0.

Saio allowed all four hits and three runs over the first two innings.

An RBI triple to right by Punahou's Josh Bninski with two outs in the second inning cut the Crusaders' lead to 4-3. From then on, Saio was in control.

He struck out eight of the next 10 batters, including the side in the third. The only non-strikeouts were a ground out and walk.

"This guy, he was focused, he was ready, he knew he wanted Punahou," said Saint Louis coach Duane Fraticelli. "He prepared himself for this game."

Saio threw 74 of his 118 pitches for strikes, and five of the strikeouts were called third strikes. All three of his walks were to Punahou lead-off batter Matt Suiter.

"My change-ups were working big time for me," he said. "I knew I had to get my fastball over for strikes and get ahead of the guys."

Punahou didn't have a base runner reach second after the second inning.

"Saint Louis just took it to us," said Punahou coach Eric Kadooka. "They hit the ball. Josh did a great job setting the tempo all night. He threw strikes. He threw his fastball and his curveball is a really good pitch."

Saint Louis' Kaden Kamoe batted 2 for 2 with a double, sacrifice fly and three RBIs. He had a two-run single in the second and his sacrifice fly in the fifth made it 7-3.

"We came out, played hard and played a good game," Kamoe said.

Fraticelli put Kamoe in the No. 7 spot in the order and Lucas Gonsalves behind him last night. They've flip-flopped spots this season.

"That was my dilemma all day; it was bothering me: Who am I going to put there (in the No. 7 spot), Gonsalves or Kamoe? I guess my instinct was kind of right tonight," Fraticelli said. "He's a tough hitter. He doesn't look the best up there, but he gets the job done and that's all we ask of him."

It wasn't a typical performance by Punahou. The Buffanblu committed four errors, walked two, hit two batters, had a passed ball and botched a run-down. Their catcher had two throwing errors and a run scored on each.

Saint Louis didn't commit an error.

"I was really proud of them," Saio said. "They back me up 100 percent."

The win was very rewarding for Saint Louis, which lost two heartbreakers to Punahou last season. Saio said he pitched "a solid four innings" in one of the losses.

"We were ahead both games we played them until the last inning, and we fell apart," Fraticelli said. "We told these guys if we play seven strong innings good things will happen to them."

SAINT LOUIS (6-1) 130 210 0—7 9 0

PUNAHOU (5-2) 120 000 0—3 4 4

Josh Saio and Keoni Haina. Evan Lim, Paul Snieder (2), Evan Yamamoto (6), Reid Okita (7) and Zach Kometani. W — Saio. L — Lim.

Leading hitters — Saint Louis: Tamatoa DeMello double; Danny Higa RBI; Kyle Gonzaga RBI; Moses Samia 2-3, double; Kaden Kamoe 2-2, 3 RBIs, 2 runs. Punahou: Matt Suiter 2 runs; Josh Bninsky triple; Tyler Young RBI.

Reported by Gail Juan

MID-PACIFIC 14, PAC FIVE 4

Easton Torigoe had three hits and five RBIs, and four pitchers teamed on a two-hitter to lead the Owls (7-0) past the Wolfpack (2-5).

MID-PACIFIC (7-0) 150 215—14 10 1

PAC-FIVE (2-5) 100 030— 4 2 2

Dane Kinoshita, Kase Kaneko (4), Davis Chang (5), Gavin Kinoshita (5) and Aaron Fujiki, Colin Sakamoto (6). Tyler Simao, Jordan Kumasaka (2), Simao (4), Joey Maekawa (5), Ryan Ueunten (6) and Reid Morihara. W — Kinoshita. L — Simao.

Leading hitters — Mid-Pacific: Russel Doi 2-4, 2 RBIs; Wade Tamaru 2-4, 4 runs; Fujiki 2-3, triple, RBI; Brysen Chang 2 runs; Easton Torigoe 3-5, 5 RBIs; Derek Tan 2-3, double, 2 RBIs; Nick Tasaka 3-4, RBI, 2 runs; Michael Arakaki triple, 2 RBIs; Todd Nagamine RBI. Pac Five: Kama Moises double, RBI; Travis Ogimi RBI; JonRay Rodrigues RBI; Matt Nishiyama RBI.

Reported by Gail Juan

'IOLANI 3, DAMIEN 2

Jarrett Arakawa and Trent Miyashiro teamed on a three-hitter, and Breland Almadova and Kela Marciel hit solo homers in a three-run fifth inning as the Raiders (3-4) edged the Monarchs (2-5).

DAMIEN (2-5) 100 001 0—2 3 2

'IOLANI (3-4) 000 030 X—3 5 2

DJ Andrade, Travis Derby (5) and Darby Ventura. Jarrett Arakawa, Trent Miyashiro (7) and Grant Iwamoto. W — Arakawa. L — Andrade. Save — Miyashiro.

Leading hitters — 'Iolani: Breland Almadova solo homer; Kela Marciel solo homer.

Reported by Dean Yonamine

KAMEHAMEHA 19, MARYKNOLL 3

Piikea Kitamura and Arlie Johnson each homered and drove in four runs, and the Warriors (3-4) amassed 18 hits to beat the Spartans (0-7) in a game halted in the fifth inning because of the mercy rule. Kyle Hirata had a double and two RBIs for Maryknoll.

MARYKNOLL (0-7) 021 00— 3 3 3

KAMEHAMEHA (3-4) 378 1X—19 18 2

Matt Guzman, Craig Shoji (2), Jordan Kurokawa (4) and David Nishiki. Alika Pruett, Patrick Akana (4) and Ula Nakamura. W — Pruett. L — Guzman.

Leading hitters — Maryknoll: Kyle Hirata double, 2 RBIs. Kamehameha: Piikea Kitamura 3-3, homer, double, 4 RBIs, 3 runs; Arlie Johnson 2-2, homer, 4 RBIs, 2 runs; Kapena Kalehuawehe-Gomes 2-3, 2 runs; Jacob Kahiapo 2-2; Makana Ramie 2-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; TC Campbell 2-2, double; John Kauhane 2-2.

Reported by Vern Ramie