Kailua's Isaiah Kaeo-Cash pitched four strong innings in relief to earn the victory over Castle. Johnny Wilson | Special to SL

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KANEOHE - It wasn't the prettiest of games, but No. 6 Kailua combined for five runs in the final two innings to rally by Castle, 7-3, Saturday to close the Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division baseball season.

The game had no meaning to the Surfriders (10-2), who had clinched the East's top seed for next week's OIA tournament. But it was a different story for the Knights (7-5), who went from tied for third at the beginning of the day to the division's fifth seed. And when Moanalua rallied to beat Kalani, 8-6, Na Menehune went from fifth place to the third seed.

First-round games begin Wednesday.

The Knights nursed a 3-2 lead after five innings behind starting pitcher Ezekiel Keama, who allowed two runs, one earned, four hits and three walks while striking out two. Alakai Kim came in from third base to pitch the sixth inning. Of his 11 pitches, only one was a strike resulting in two walks and a hit batsman, runners that were eventually cashed in that gave Kailua a 5-3 lead. Then a two out error with the bases loaded in the seventh brought home two more runs for Kailua.

"We had a bad game," Castle coach Rocky Fraticelli said. "A couple plays here and there, we did' make the plays. Kailua opened up the door (for us) one inning, we had a chance to get back, but we didn't get the timely hits."

Kailua starting pitcher Stone Parker went three innings, allowing two hits and three walks with four strikeouts. But two first-inning errors accounted for the two unearned runs he was charged with. Isaiah Kaeo-Cash kept the Knights in check the final four innings, allowing an unearned run in the fifth in another two-error inning. He allowed two hits and two walks in picking up the win.

Kailua coach Corey Ishigo was pleased his team played hard even in a game that had no bearing on his team's seeding.

"We don't like losing," he said. "It was like a playoff atmosphere."

Dustin Imanaka paced Kailua's offense with three runs scored after reaching safely on a bunt single and two walks.

In Kailua's sixth against Kim, Dalton Kalama walked, pinch hitter Cody Takabuki was hit by a pitch and Keiki Kanahele-Santos walked on four pitches. Kim was pulled for Jordan Harvest. But Harvest hit pinch hitter Noah Auld to force in the tying run. Pinch hitter Joey Cantillo's sacrifice fly to center put Kailua ahead, 4-3 and moved pinch runner Noah Ah Yat to third, where he later scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3 before Kalei Kealoha-Machado grounded out to third.

Castle's only clutch hit was a first-inning, two out, two-run single by Stephen Lee.

This is how the OIA tournament's first round is set up:

All games 3 p.m. Wednesday
West 5 Waipahu vs. East 4 Kalani at Kahala Field
East 5 Castle vs. West 4 Leilehua at Howard Oda Field
West 6 Radford at Moanalua
East 6 Roosevelt at West 3 Pearl City.

Thursday's quarterfinals, all at 3 p.m.
Winner of Waipahu-Kalani at West 1 Campbell
Winner of Castle-Leilehua at East 1 Kailua
Winner of Radford-Moanalua at West 2 Mililani
Winner of Roosevelt-Pearl City at East 2 Kaiser

Friday's semifinals at Central Oahu Regional Park

Saturday's championship at CORP