The Roosevelt baseball team used an opportunistic and never-say-die approach plus a freshman making his first pitching appearance of the season to beat Moanalua on Wednesday and claim the top spot in the OIA East.

The Rough Riders scored six runs in the sixth inning and Amadeus Browning pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in a 7-5 victory over Na Menehune at Stevenson Middle School Field.

“This team, they love baseball and every game they’re in it until the last out no matter how much we’re down and stuff. They just keep fighting,” said Roosevelt freshman Brayden Higa, who drove in the go-ahead run during the rally.

Roosevelt, which trailed 5-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, sent 11 batters to the plate with the first six scoring. The Rough Riders benefited from three walks, two hit batsmen, two wild pitches and a fielding error. They had only two hits — both singles — in the inning.

“Part of they’re being good hitters is they do have a good understanding of the strike zone,” said Roosevelt coach Adrian Mols. “They’ve been good at staying in the strike zone and taking what the pitcher gives them.”

Roosevelt (4-1) tied the game at 5-5 when Jeff Spurling scored on a wild pitch and took the lead on Higa’s sacrifice fly to left, which scored Kaden Chun.

“I was just trying to get a good line drive and maybe get a hit, but a sacrifice fly was good, too,” Higa said.

Brayden Moy scored the final run of the inning on a fielding error by the shortstop.

Browning allowed three hits, one walk and one hit batsmen with two strikeouts after entering in the fifth and his team down four.

“I was kind of nervous,” Browning said. “My first time pitching varsity, but I pitched a little bit in a different league, but it didn’t feel the same when I was pitching (Wednesday).”

Moanalua (3-2) looked to be in control behind Koen Smith, who walked seven batters and threw four wild pitches before being removed after 96 pitches.

“He threw enough strikes to keep us in the ball game and gave us a chance to win,” said Moanalua associate coach Landon Yoshikawa. “We tried to get some other guys in when his pitch count went up because of that effectively wildness.”

Moanalua coach Peter Arakawa missed the game because he was attending his brother’s wedding in California.

Mols said his team gained momentum after Smith was removed.

“We were hoping to extend their pitcher and he had to come out, so we were just hoping to keep it together and not give up too many crooked numbers and we have the last at-bat,” Mols said. “We’ve always kind of preached, stay in the game, up or down, and just finish strong.”

Na Menehune took a 2-0 lead in the first after Nate Alvaro scored on a fielding error by the third baseman and Z Miyashiro hit a sacrifice fly.

Moanalua added a run in the third on a run-scoring double by Miyashiro, but Roosevelt got the run back in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly by Coop Taniguchi.

Na Menehune extended their lead to 5-1 in the fifth on a two-run double by Alvaro.

Moanalua could have easily scored more, but it stranded 12 runners on base over the first five innings, including the bases loaded in the second, fourth and fifth innings.

“Definitely a good start offensively,” Yoshikawa said. “Had some missed opportunities a little bit later in the game, if we take advantage of maybe we’re in a different spot.”

Both teams have played a number of close games this season with all of Roose­velt’s contests being decided by two runs or fewer and Moanalua’s previous three games — all victories — all coming by one run.