Kalyn Kershner scores the game-winning run on an error to help the Wolf Pack walk off against the Saints. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Megan Yoshioka and the Pac-Five softball team finally got the redemption they wanted.

Kalyn Kershner's game-winning run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning backed Yoshioka's complete-game pitching effort as Pac-Five walked off with a 3-2 win over Saint Francis in a key divisional game at Ala Wai Field Monday afternoon.

The Wolf Pack, who improved to 4-3-1 and maintained sole possession of first place in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's Division II standings, avenged a one-run loss to the Saints (3-5) more than a month ago.

"What this win does is help us because now we're 1-1 as far as head to head (with Saint Francis)," said Pac-Five coach Cecil Hasegawa, who noted that the regular-season winner in the ILH claims an automatic berth in next month's D2 state tournament. "That's what we're working toward — both of us — so this was a big game."

The last time the teams met, the Wolf Pack squandered a three-run, third-inning lead and saw the Saints score the eventual-game winner in the bottom of the sixth en route to an 8-7 final score. It was the regular-season opener for both teams.

Yoshioka, a 5-foot-2 right-hander, lasted just two-plus innings after allowing two runs on four hits in that game, which she reminisced about after Monday's win.

"I felt like it wasn't really my day or it wasn't something I could help the team with," Yoshioka recalled. "I think putting Kiara in so early in the game, in like the third inning the last time we played them, was a good idea because I just want the best for my team and I thought Kiara would do a better job than me that day."

This time around Yoshioka went the distance, scattering eight hits with three strikeouts and just one walk. She threw 58 of her 83 pitches for strikes and registered first-pitch strikes to 24 of 28 batters.

"She pitched a good game," Hasegawa said. "She did a good job getting ahead in counts and getting out of jams. She executed her pitches, hit her spots and the defense backed her up."

After allowing two runs on a two-out single to Kolbee Kealoha in the top of the first inning, Yoshioka faced just four more than the minimum the rest of the way.

"From the last time we played (Saint Francis), I learned that I needed to be more accurate with pitching and to always keep my head up even though they're hitting the ball and just keep throwing and just look toward the next out or the next pitch," said Yoshioka, who got 10 ground-ball outs and five fly-ball outs.

The Wolf Pack played error-free defense behind Yoshioka. Left fielder Kyla Zimmerman made a key play that abruptly halted a Saint Francis threat in the top of the third.

Zimmerman made an unlikely sprinting catch while running to her left on a lined shot off the bat of Sammie Ofoia — the Saints' No. 3 hitter — and threw to second base to double off baserunner, Kaena Keliinoi, for the third out.

"That was a great play. It helped our team tremendously," Yoshioka said. "Without (Zimmerman) catching the ball, that would have definitely been a home run and two runs would have scored, which would have made it 4-0 at the time, and would not have been a good thing for us."

The Saints saw their half of the fourth inning come to an end when Kealoha was caught stealing second by Wolf Pack catcher Shazzareigh Nakoa-Chung, who drove in Noelle Nakamura with a double to left center in the bottom of the first.

After five straight Wolf Pack hitters were retired, Karley Ann Yoshioka led off the bottom of the fifth with a triple down the right field line. She scored the tying run on Keila Lee's bloop single to left one batter later.

Saint Francis left the potential go-ahead run on third to end the top of the sixth and got back-to-back two-out singles in the seventh only to see Yoshioka get Keliinoi to fly out to centerfield for the third out.

"She did amazing. Her change-ups were on it," Karley Ann Yoshioka said of Megan (no relation). "Even though they had some good hits off of her, she battled back and made sure they wouldn't score any more runs."

Kershner, who popped up in each of her first two at bats Monday, drew four straight balls after a first-pitch strike to leadoff the bottom of the seventh with a walk.

The next batter, Zimmerman, grounded to third baseman Korrie Matsumura, who threw to Ofoia at first for the first out. After the out was recorded, however, Ofoia threw back to third — ahead of Kershner, who advanced to second base on the play — but her throw was wild and allowed Kershner to score the winning run.

"We were lucky," Hasegawa said. "It Saint Francis is a good team and they played a good game; it just so happens that they made that error at the wrong time."

Saint Francis coach Randy Langsi said it was hardly a devastating loss.

"Every time we play Pac-Five it's a one-run game it seems like," Langsi said. "It's always a tough battle with them, but it's good softball. We played a great game, so yeah we're disappointed in the loss, but we're going to take this loss and inspire us to get better. It's a learning lesson for us, but the girls handled it pretty well, so we don't feel too bad about it."

Tiare Guerrero took the loss for Saint Francis. She allowed three runs, one unearned, on five hits with one walk in 6 1/3 innings. Kealoha, Keliinoi and Kenna Santos each paired hits in a losing effort.