Kamehameha's Dallas Millwood rounds third base and heads to home plate after hitting a home run against Maryknoll. Steve Erler | SL

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SAND ISLAND— Fifth-ranked Kamehameha rallied from an early 3-0 deficit in the first inning to beat third-ranked Maryknoll, 8-4 in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu matchup at Sand Island Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Warriors remain on top the ILH standings at 4-0, while the Lady Spartans fell to 3-1. Both teams will play each other again at Kamehameha on Apr. 20.

Dallas Millwood went 1-for-3 and hit a two RBI homer in the fifth inning, Rayla Jacobs-Kea went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Kailee Sanchez went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and scored a run.

Maryknoll's defense shut out the Warriors and jumped out to a 3-0 after the bottom of the first inning. Nohea Hee, who went 4-for-4 for the game got a single to lead off and Baylie Kahele brought her home. Kahilu McNicoll, reached on error and Kamalei Labasan brought in Kiana Arcayena, who came in as a courtesy runner, for the lead.

"I think the key was it was a good loss for us. Kamehameha played a good game and made the most of their opportunities. They hit the ball and scored runs. When it comes down to it, it has to be the person who wants, now we know what to work on," said Maryknoll coach John Uekawa.

Kamehameha found its composure and took advantage of Maryknoll's miscues. Sauer singled to get on base and McNicoll beaned Davian Ugaitafa and Kalei Kaneshiro to load the bases. McNicoll walked Kailee Sanchez to bring in a run and Jacobs-Kea doubled to tie the game at 3.

"I think it comes with the leadership and our veterans. They kept their composure and didn't panic and were able to fight and tie it back up. Main thing they didn't quit and stayed in the game," said Kamehameha coach James Millwood.

Tamia Hirano doubled centerfield and the Lady Spartans took the lead, 4-3 after Hirano scored off of Bree Soma's single, which dropped just inside the foul line.

Kamehameha came back in the fourth as McNicoll walked Ugaitafa. Facing two outs, Sanchez drilled a RBI double to tie the game and Jacobs-Kea immediately brought Sanchez home with a single to reclaim the lead for the Warriors.

Maryknoll decided to give Kamryn Kamakiwi and opportunity and she pitched two innings. McNicoll came back in the fifth to pitch the rest of the game. It wasn't a pretty game for McNicoll as she walked five batters for the afternoon.

"Defensively we're ok, the era of (Shearyna) Labasan is gone. A lot of walks, now the girls understand the and we have to keep that intensity up for seven innings," said Uekawa. "I wanted to give her (Kamakiwi) an opportunity to perform with the pressure in front of us."

Sauer pitched four innings and threw four strikes to get the win, but Luana Low came in to pitch the remainder of the game. The lefty recorded five strikeouts to keep the Lady Spartan batters off balanced.

"Once we put in Luana, she's a lefty and she has a different spin, I'm not sure if they were able to catch back onto Luana," said Millwood.

"They are two different type of pitchers. She (Low) is crafty and the ball spins well and it's a different speed. They are a good hitting team and they make solid contact and we had to do what we can to keep them off balanced," said coach Millwood, echoing his daughter's assessment.

"You have to give credit to their lefty pitcher. We actually prepared for that, it's just that she did a hell of a job, she did some crafty things," said Uekawa.

In the fifth inning, Jordan Millwood walked and Dallas crushed a home run over the centerfield fence to bring her sister home. Dallas also added a run in the seventh inning after Ugaitafa's RBI double.

"I wanted it so badly and my teammates were putting in the hard work and I had to do what I had to do," said Dallas Millwood.

"I could see it in her face that she really wanted it. It was timely and it gave us a bigger lead and a cushion," said Millwood, on his daughter's home run.

The Warriors won't play their next game until Mar. 30 against Pac-Five at Ala Wai, and the Lady Spartans will play Iolani on the same afternoon.