Kamehameha's Alana Cobb-Adams slides into second base against Punahou. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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03101645_KamPun_K3_0330.jpg - Greg Yamamoto | SL

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KAPALAMA HEIGHTS — One inning made all the difference Wednesday afternoon.

Kamehameha sent 15 batters to the plate in the fifth inning en route to a 10-6 win over visiting Punahou in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu opener for both teams.

Alana Cobb-Adams batted 2 for 4 with a double, drove in a run and scored another to lead the fifth-ranked Warriors (1-0) offensively, while Mahina Sauer struck out five and allowed eight hits in 5 2/3 innings of work to get the win.

"I'm happy because Punahou was probably playing the best softball of all the ILH teams throughout the preseason," Kamehameha coach James Millwood said. "It was a big win for us. We needed to do that. It was close early on, back and forth and we had chances but we just weren't getting it done and finally we had that big inning in the fifth."

The Buffanblu took an early lead on D'Asha Saiki's RBI single to score Alyssa Rasmussen in the top of the first inning.

The Warriors tied it in the third when Jordan Millwood scored on Kalei Kaneshiro's single up the middle and took a lead one inning later on Cobb-Adams single to right field that brought in Rayla Jacobs-Kea.

The score was tied once again following another Saiki RBI single that scored Rasmussen in the top of the fifth, but pitching unraveled in the bottom of the frame for Punahou.

Kamehameha benefitted from five walks and three hit batsmen to score eight runs in the inning, despite having only one base hit. The first six batters to come to the plate reached base and ended up scoring. Kailee Sanchez, Jacobs-Kea, Cobb-Adams and Jordan Millwood each got credit for an RBI in the inning.

"We're just all trying to feed off of each other and not be too eager to hit, but wait to count on everyone else to bring you in, so don't go for the home runs, just base hits," said Cobb-Adams, the leadoff hitter. "Everyone was just being patient and trusting in the next person to get a hit even if they don't, but waiting and being patient."

In all, the Warriors worked nine walks off Punahou pitching — seven of them resulted in runs.

"That's not a slouch team," Buffanblu coach Bob Makahilahila said. "They've got good players, good coaching and we played really well up until that one inning."

Punahou scored four runs on four hits in the top of the sixth, but could get no closer.

"Defensively we held them early on; Offensively we could have done better," Makahilahila said. "I think being the first ILH game of the season we came out a little bit tight because we like to create offense, but in this game we kind of didn't do that so kind of what you saw at the end is what we want to do. Hopefully as the season goes on we'll get better at it."

Cobb-Adams recovered nicely from an inauspicious start to the game. The lefty slap-hitter was called out in her first at-bat for making contact with the pitch outside of the batter's box, but went on to reach base in her next three plate appearances.

"I knew that Jordan, the next batter, was going to pick me up and then I just worked on my footwork in the dugout and tried to get it down again," Cobb-Adams said. "We did good, but we can only get better so hopefully we can peak at the right time and everyone does good."

After earning Second Team All-Hawaii honors as a center fielder last year, Cobb-Adams moved to shortstop this season as part of a reconfigured Warriors' defense.

"Alana is important for us," Millwood said. "We thought she was going to come in and be our center fielder. She's probably one of the best outfielders, I believe, in the state, but we moved some girls around and she's played a solid short, but we need her on base. When she gets on base, she makes things happen. She's an excellent baserunner, she's got good speed and she knows how to run the bases very smart."

Elyse Nakamoto and Kawailana Meilke each drove in a pair of runs for the seventh-ranked Buffanblu (0-1). Jolie Fujita allowed two runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings and was the losing pitcher.