Punahou's Vanessa Va'a makes contact with a pitch against St. Francis. Sylvia Lee | SL

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St. Francis' Shaye Simms makes a pitch against Punahou. Sylvia Lee | SL

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Punahou's Jaci Young pitched all seven innings allowing five hits, two runs, one walk, and striking out nine St. Francis batters. Sylvia Lee | SL

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WAIPIO - After a shaky first inning, Jaci Young settled down and helped herself at the plate to help Punahou beat Saint Francis, 4-2, Saturday night in Interscholastic League of Honolulu softball at Patsy Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.

Young went the distance, allowing five hits, two runs, one earned and a walk, while striking out nine.

"I think we were just shaky, TV game and all," Young said of the top of the first inning when the Division II Saints (2-3) jumped to a 2-0 lead. "But we were able to come back and that's the main thing."

The comeback came pretty quick for the Division I Buffanblu (4-2). The Saints' lead was short lived as Vanessa Va'a lined a two-run homer to center to tie the game. Punahou would add two more in the third on RBI singles by Young and Nicole Nishizawa.

"I think the two-run homer by 'V' - Vanessa Va'a - she really brought us back into the game and gave our confidence back," Young said. "I think that was the turning point."

In the Saints' first, Kailyn Santos led off with a bunt single to third and took second on Rachel Carlos' flare single to center. With Kelcie Hee batting, a wild pitch moved the runners into scoring position. Young was able to strike out Hee. But on Young's first pitch to Shaye Simms was wild, allowing Santos to score. Catcher Kylie Popovich's throw to Young covering the plate was errant, allowing Carlos to score before Simms struck out to end the inning.

The Buffanblu wasted little time getting the runs back off Saint Francis starting pitcher Simms.

Thalen Masada led off with a single and took second on Sarah Sumida's sacrifice. After Young flied out to left, Va'a lined a 1-0 pitch over the center field fence to tie the game at 2 before Nishizawa grounded out to short to end the frame.

Punahou took the lead in the third. Popovich led off with a single, but was forced out at second when Masada reached on a fielder's choice grounder to short. Sumida moved her over with a bunt and Young's line single to right-center put the Buffanblu ahead, 3-2. Va'a's single put runners at first and second to set up Nishizawa's RBI single that scored courtesy runner Krystin Wong. Arianna Hashimoto's infield single loaded the bases, but Jessica Shimoda grounded out to limit the damage.

Simms allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings pitched for the Saints.