Tiani Wayton socked a two-run homer and Ashanti Martinez pitched out of a jam in the seventh inning as No. 7 Punahou edged No. 5 Mid-Pacific 4-3 on Wednesday afternoon.

Punahou improved to 8-2 with the win on its home field and remained tied for first place with ‘Iolani in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu softball standings. ‘Iolani (8-2) blanked Sacred Hearts 12-0 on Wednesday to keep pace. Mid-Pacific dropped to 7-3 and will host ‘Iolani on Saturday. Punahou will meet Pac-Five on Friday and Damien on Saturday, then will host ‘Iolani on Monday.

Punahou and Mid-Pacific were tied at 2 in the bottom of the fourth inning when Maya Matsubara stepped into the batter’s box with two outs. She doubled off the fence in left center. On the next pitch, Wayton launched a high, deep ball over the left-field fence to give Punahou a 4-2 lead.

The Buffanblu stranded a runner in the fifth frame, and then had the bases loaded in the sixth when D’Asha Saiki grounded into an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play.

The visiting Owls were invigorated. Lea Hanawahine, who finished 3-for-3, reached on an infield single. Saiki came up big at shortstop on a tough grounder by Jenna Wong, making the throw to first from her knees. After Sami Taga’s grounder made it two outs, Ava Puuohau delivered a single to center, scoring Hanawahine from third base.

Mahea Perkins then grounded to short, where the ball took a funny hop and handcuffed Saiki. With Puuohau at third and Perkins at second, Martinez bore down and got Marissa Nishihara on a grounder to first, ending the game.

Three double plays turned by Punahou’s defense were invaluable. When the teams met on Feb. 27, MPI won a slugfest, 15-12, as four players homered.

“My mentality today was to keep the ball down,” Martinez said. “If everything is down, we’ll be fine.”

Mid-Pacific drew first blood in the top of the first. Perkins reached on an error by third baseman Asia Lee. With two outs, Keao Takemura socked a double to right, plating Perkins for a 1-0 lead.

Punahou responded in the bottom of the first. Matsubara and Wayton drew walks, and after Saiki grounded into a forceout at second, Punahou had runners at the corners. Liana Heshiki hit a grounder back to the mound and Darian Kanno threw to home plate, but the runner on third, Matsubara, stayed put. The fielder’s choice left the bases loaded for Lee, who fouled off two pitches with a two-strike count. With the count full, Lee walked, forcing Matsubara home from third to tie the game at 1.

Jadey Hagiwara led off the second inning with a double to right, but Punahou stranded her at third base as Kanno bore down.

The Owls got two runners on base in the top of the third, but Punahou turned a line drive into a 6-4 double play to end the inning.