Iolani pitcher Javin Nohara closes out the game for Iolani. Evan Asato | SL

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Punahou's Reese Kato steals home to squeeze in a second run from Jake Fujimoto's double. Evan Asato | SL

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Iolani pitcher Javin Nohara (14) throws a curveball against a Punahou batter. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Javin Nohara credited his team in shutting out Punahou in the last four innings -- and while that may be true -- the Iolani Raiders' senior pitcher's performance was key in preventing the Buffanblu from ever reaching home.

The Raiders, now 2-1, move up to second in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu standings after defeating the Buffanblu, 4-2, at Ala Wai Park.

Toshi Taniguchi -- still recovering from a two-run hit by Punahou's Jake Fujimoto's double during the third -- was relieved by Nohara at the bottom of the fourth after Taniguchi gave up a single to Punahou's Nate Higa.

Punahou's Noah Wiley snagged off a hit from Nohara to start the fourth, but Wiley's hit and two base-on-balls from walks by Nohara during fifth and seventh were the only Punahou runners allowed to roam the paths.

Nohara allowed only three hits and two walks, and struck out five batters.

"He's one of the hardest workers that we have," Iolani head coach Brent Shimokawa said of Nohara. "He was brought into what we asked him to do which is throw strikes and speeds and move the ball out a lot."

Punahou's mound however wasn't occupied by pitchers for more than two innings each (with the exception of Dylan Combs who pitched just over two innings) thanks to pressure from Iolani's batting lineup.

"I think we put a lot of pressure on a lot of teams with putting the ball in play and that's what makes the boys put the ball in play." said Shimokawa.

Punahou substituted pitchers in the second, third, and sixth inning.

Iolani took an early lead with one run in the second when Corey Nakakura stole home, and added two more runs during the top of the third as Tanner Nishioka and Christian Donahue also crossed home plate. Punahou matched runs with Iolani at the bottom of the third to close the gap, 3-2, with Jake Fujimoto's double that sent Brad Chan home, followed by a squeeze play by Reese Kato to bring home one more run.

In the sixth, Austin Darmawan's sacrifice brought Josh Inaba home to extend the margin to 4-2.

Punahou's best chance to score at the bottom of the seventh came with Chan on first from a walk and one out, but was quickly extinguished after a hit by Reese Kato towards first base was caught mid-air by Nakakura, who tagged Chan in progress for the double play.