The Spartans swarm the field after beating Punahou for the ILH Division I championship. Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 1 of 40

Maryknoll senior Nohea Hee went 2 for 4 on the day with four RBIs and a double. Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 2 of 40

In the sixth inning, Briahni Alejo hit a soft ground ball up the first base line which was fielded by Liliana Thomas who then took it to the bag herself for an unassisted out. However, Punahou coach David Eldredge argued the call which ultimately delayed the game for nearly 10 minutes. Greg Yamamoto | SL Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 3 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 4 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 5 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 6 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 7 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 8 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 9 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 10 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 11 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 12 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 13 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 14 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 15 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 16 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 17 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 18 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 19 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 20 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 21 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 22 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 23 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 24 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 25 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 26 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 27 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 28 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 29 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 30 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 31 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 32 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 33 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 34 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 35 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 36 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 37 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 38 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 39 of 40

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 40 of 40

MAKIKI — Nohea Hee's RBI-double to score the go-ahead run with two outs in the top of the seventh inning lifted No. 8 Maryknoll to its second consecutive Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I softball title with an 8-7 win over No. 6 Punahou Thursday afternoon.

The Spartans (11-5) notched their fourth straight victory and locked up a seeded berth and first-round bye in next week's DataHouse State Championships.

The Buffanblu (9-4), who saw their four-game win streak come to a end, were seeking their first league crown since 2005. They will be making their first state tournament appearance since 2013, when they won the only state championship in school history.

In addition to successfully defending its ILH title, Maryknoll also avenged a pair of losses to Punahou earlier this season. Both prior meetings resulted in one-run wins for the Buffanblu.

"It feels really good. I think the difference was we played in the last two games of the ILH (second round) playoffs and we found ourselves in the same situation and coming back against Kamehameha the way we did really gave our team a chip on our shoulder and we've just been running with it," said Hee, a senior center fielder.

The Spartans fell behind early after the hosts struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. D'Asha Saiki's RBI-ground rule double scored Maya Matsubara and two batters later, Saiki scored on a Janell Sato sacrifice fly.

However, Maryknoll answered right away by plating three runs in the next half-inning. Baylie Kahele led off the top of the second with a walk before taking second base on a wild pitch. Kahele came in to score on a double by Liliana Thomas. Later in the inning, Hee lined a two-out single to bring home two runs and give her team a 3-2 lead.

"I saw a change-up and it was inside high, so I just went with it," Hee said. "I feel like being down doesn't really affect us in any way because we know that we can come back no matter how down we are."

Maryknoll senior Nohea Hee went 2 for 4 on the day with four RBIs and a double. Greg Yamamoto | SL    Purchase image

Maryknoll's one-run lead held until the top of the sixth inning, when it batted around and scored four more runs despite just one hit in the frame. Mahalo Akaka, Kahilu McNicoll and Aloha Akaka drew consecutive walks to load the bases. Hee followed with an RBI-walk to make it 4-2 and two batters later Tanigawa pushed across another run on a fielder's choice. A Punahou throwing error allowed Hee to score the third run of the inning and Thomas' two-out RBI-double plated Tanigawa two batters later.

"I really feel that it's a matter of peeking at the right time and we're lucky enough that I think right now we're gelling," Uekawa said. "It's a three-month tour and since coming back from the mainland about a month ago, I've just seen it. The kids don't worry about being behind or we make an error, (but) they're not worrying about anything but just making the next play and it's really funny. It's easy to say, but you see them doing it, they don't get down, they just go and make the next play. If (the other team) scores some runs, no problem, we just score some right back."

However, the Buffanblu rallied in the bottom of the sixth by scoring five runs to even the score at 7-all.

Kawailana Mielke's two-run double pulled Punahou within 7-4 and one batter later, Ashanti Martinez evened the score with her three-run home run over the fence in left field to chase McNicoll, the Maryknoll starter, from the game.

"I think that was my fault. I should have made the (pitching) change a little bit sooner and because basically I didn't, (Punahou) rallied behind it," Uekawa said.

McNicoll was working a one-hitter into the sixth inning, but three of the four hits she surrendered in the frame went for extra bases. She also walked two batters in the inning, both of which scored.

"Kahilu was throwing so well, but if you look at the last five games she's thrown, she's only throwing five innings and she was going into the sixth inning already and the batters are seeing her for a third time," Uekawa said. "We had a feeling that maybe we had to make the change — and that's my decision — so I give the girls a lot of credit for picking me up and coming back with that last run in the seventh inning."

Aloha Akaka replaced McNicoll in the circle and got the final two outs of the sixth, but not before some controversy.