Iolani batter Corey Nakakura (21) sends a homerun over right field. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Iolani's Jonathan Ide (19) and Corey Nakakura (21) celebrate at home plate following Nakakura's home run in the fourth against Saint Louis. Sean Nakamura | SL

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St. Louis' Kaimi Umebayashi's (34) hat is knocked off his head as he tags out Iolani's Max Look (2) on first base. Sean Nakamura | SL

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St. Louis catcher Iolana Akau (8) tags out Iolani runner Jonathan Ide (19) at home. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Iolani's Bronson Ichimura throws a pitch in the late innings against Saint Louis. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Iolani pitcher Austin Jim-On throws a pitch to the plate against Saint Louis. Sean Nakamura | SL

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On Senior Day at Iolani, it was a trio of underclassmen that stole the show.

Iolani got strong outings on the mound from starter Austin Jim On and closer Bronson Ichimura, and a long ball from Corey Nakakura to help propel Iolani to a 9-1 victory over Saint Louis.

"Austin's a sophomore, Corey's a sophomore and Ichimura is a sophomore so that was big for us. We've had larger squads historically, but with a smaller squad we told them that everyone is going to have an opportunity." said Iolani head coach Brent Shimokawa.

"It feels really good just to help the seniors come up with this final win at home, this is their last game here at home and it feel good to know that their last game they went out with a bang." said Nakaura.

Jim On, who had been used primarily in middle relief this season, got the call today to start, and shook off some jitters early to put in a solid pitching performance on the mound, holding the Crusaders scoreless through four innings of play, allowing just four hits, striking out 2 and walking 2.

"My changeup was working good today," said Jim On. "My curveball was alright, but it was mainly my changeup."

"I know I'm not going to overpower guys. I'm not going for strikeouts out there, I'm going to just throw strikes and keep us in the game."

With the Crusaders being held in check at the plate, it was up to the Raiders to deliver on their turn up to bat, and in the middle innings the home team did just that, plating two runs in the third inning and another one in fourth.

JR Matsuura roped a one-out, ground-rule double to left-center in the bottom of the third, and Austin Darmawan followed with a two-out, two-bagger of his own to put Iolani on the scoreboard first.

Darmawan came home to score on a Tanner Nishioka single to cap the scoring in the third.

The Raiders picked up right where they left off in the last of the fourth, adding another run to the margin courtesy of a long ball by Nakakura.

"He (Saint Louis pitcher Pono Anderson) fell behind the count and I was just sitting dead red. I was on the plate and I was just looking for that one pitch and that one spot, and it just so happened that it was there." explained Nakakura. "I was lucky to square it up."

The sophomore infielder's shot over the fence in right field was his first home run of the year.

Iolani added six more runs to the tally in the fifth inning, with 5 walks and a batter hit by a pitch accounting for four of the inning's total.

The Crusaders had been averaging 12.5 runs a game against the Raiders in two contests this season, but only touched home plate once in this go around, as pinch runner Ricky Ahlo-Pinera came around to score from second on a Kawai Mook-Garcia single in the top of the sixth.

Iolani turned to Bronson Ichimura to close out the game following Saint Louis' first run of the game, and the sophomore pitcher shut the door on the visiting team, striking out the first batter he faced to close out the sixth, and then retiring the side in order in the top of the seventh to end it.

Matsuura, one of the eight seniors playing their last regular season home game, commented on the performance put on today by his sophomore teammates, "It just shows that we're good from 1 through 9, everybody is capable of playing."

The win also showed that down the stretch, the Raiders can certainly be a team that is capable of some noise.

In four losses prior to today's contest, Iolani had scored an aggregate total of nine runs, a number they matched in just seven innings today.

"I had a very good feeling today that we were gonna find something good happen to us." said a visibly pleased Shimokawa. "But we've been having very good practices and we've been swinging the bat good."

"Feels great, and like coach says, its a process, and we want to be peaking at the end of the season." said Jim On of the win today. "I guess its still an uphill battle, but it feels good to see our hard work paying off."