WAIPAHU — Boosted by a crucial inning-ending ruling at the plate in the top of the seventh, Pearl City scored the winning run in the bottom half on a mental error by Kailua to win its third straight O'ahu Interscholastic Association championship, 2-1, at Hans L'Orange Park.

The Chargers, ranked No. 1 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, finished 15-0 in league play and will receive the OIA's top seed and first-round bye in next week's state tournament.

The Surfriders fell to 11-4 and will begin state tournament play in the first round May 6.

Chace Numata scored the winning run last night after leading off with a triple that went past the overrunning center fielder and close to to the fence. After a strikeout and intentional walk, Royce Murai hit a sharp comebacker to the mound that ricocheted off the pitcher's glove. The pitcher scrambled to pick up the ball, but threw it to first instead of home, allowing Numata to score and end the game.

"I broke (on contact) because it was hit hard and I thought it would go up the middle," Numata said. "But when it went off his glove, I hesitated, and then I ran. I figured I'd try and chance it."

Pearl City coach Gary Nakamoto said Numata "would have been dead-out" if the throw went to home plate instead of first base.

"That was a big break for us," Nakamoto said. "I take my hat off to Kailua; they're a great team and it's too bad somebody had to lose. We were lucky the breaks went our way."

The Chargers were on the right end of another crucial play in the top of the seventh, which ended with a runner's interference call at home plate.

With the score tied at 1-1 and the bases loaded with one out, Ryan McMonigle hit a sharp grounder to short, where shortstop Numata fielded it and threw home to catcher Carlton Tanabe for the force out.

But after Tanabe touched home plate and turned to make a double-play throw to first, base runner Kory Sasaoka slid across the plate and Tanabe tripped over Sasaoka's leg as he made the throw, which went astray.

The home plate umpire then called interference on Sasaoka, prompting a lengthy argument by Kailua coach Corey Ishigo.

"If you look at the slide mark, you can see that he slid straight into home (plate), no question about it," Ishigo said. "I wanted to (file a) protest, but (OIA baseball commissioner) Glenn Ah Sam said it's a judgement call. It's so sad that one bad call makes the difference in a game like this."

OIA baseball coordinator Glenn Nitta said that a runner is allowed to slide into the base, but if his slide is angled toward the fielder and he makes contact, interference may be called at the umpire's discretion.

"It's a judgement call," Nitta said.

Tanabe said he made an effort to get out of Sasaoka's way.

"There was plenty of time (to touch home and make the throw), so I made sure I took my time and got out there (in front of the plate)," said Tanabe, whose back (right) foot tripped over the sliding Sasaoka.

Nakamoto said from the Pearl City dugout, it appeared Tanabe was clear from the basepath.

"In our judgement, he stepped out onto the field," Nakamoto said. "I thought the umpire made the right call."

The Surfriders took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on Jared Iha's solo home run over the left-field fence, but the Chargers tied it in the fifth after Bronson Oda led off with an infield single, advanced on an infield error, moved to third on Murai's sacrifice bunt and scored on a balk.

Kailua then loaded the bases in the seventh after an infield error, a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk and a hit batter.

KAILUA (11-4) 001 000 0 — 1 5 1

PEARL CITY (15-0) 000 001 1 — 2 4 1

Bryson Gauthe, Alika Ramseyer-Ho (5) and Alan Baldwin; Jordan Schweitzer, Kawika Pruett (2), Kahana Neal (5) and Carlton Tanabe. W — Neal. L — Ramseyer-Ho.

Leading hitters — Kailua: Jared Iha home run. Pearl City: Chace Numata triple.

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

ILH TOURNAMENT

'IOLANI 6, SAINT LOUIS 4

Breland Almadova drove in two runs and Jensen Park scored twice as the Raiders rallied past the visiting Crusaders in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu tournament elimination game.

'Iolani scored five runs in the sixth inning.

The Raiders will play host to Punahou today at 3:45 p.m. in another tournament elimination game, with the winner advancing to Thursday's tournament final against Kamehameha.

Kamehameha is unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament.

SAINT LOUIS (9-9) 100 102 0—4 6 1

'IOLANI (16-3) 100 005 X—6 8 2

Chris Chung, Kaeo Aliviado (6), Kini Enos (6) and Jordan Fukumoto. Sheldon Lee, JR Bunda (4), Trent Miyashiro (5), Brett Watanabe (6), Jarrett Arakawa (6), Breland Almadova (7) and Grant Iwamoto. W — Arakawa. L — Chung.

Leading hitters — Saint Louis: Lucas Gonsalves double; Moses Samia 2 RBIs; Kaden Kamoe double. 'Iolani: Jensen Park 2-4, double, 2 runs; Almadova double, 2 RBIs; Arakawa 2-4.

Reported by Nick Bradley.