Resilient and relentless Mid-Pacific fought back to upset No. 5 Punahou 10-5 on Wednesday in the ILH postseason softball tournament.

Trailing 4-1 after five innings, the 10th-ranked Owls (7-8) rallied for five runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh to put an end to the Buffanblu’s season.

"All year, the team has struggled and the girls were down about it," said MPI coach Alan Inaba, whose team plays Maryknoll on Saturday at Sand Island Park for a spot in the state tournament. "Now that we’re in the playoffs, we talked about how it’s a new season and they realize they have to keep battling until the end."

Freshman Marissa Allen came up with the mighty swat that turned the tide. Her 200-plus foot grand slam to left off Punahou pitcher Nicole Nishizawa was part of a five-run sixth inning that made it 6-4.

"It happened," Allen said. "I don’t go up to the plate expecting to hit a home run. I just try to watch the ball hit the bat. I’m really proud of this team."

Samantha Sakihara’s two-run triple keyed the Owls’ four-run seventh. Beyli Correa, who had two sacrifice bunts earlier, came through with a squeeze bunt RBI and Breeze-lyn Morita added an RBI single for a 10-4 lead.

Earlier, Nishizawa was breezing along with a two-hitter through five innings. She also cranked a two-run homer to left that gave the Buffanblu a relatively comfortable 4-1 lead.

But things unraveled as MPI sent 10 batters to the plate and connected for five of its 11 hits in the big sixth inning.

The Buffanblu (10-5) left the bases loaded in the second and seventh frames.

"Honestly, Mid-Pacific is a great hitting team and we couldn’t hit as well as them today," Nishizawa said.

Owls pitcher Kaili-Ann Akimseu went the distance for the win, scattering eight hits. 

"(Nishizawa) was doing a great job, so we knew we had to adjust," said Akimseu, who went 3-for-4 at the plate. "The team preaches that we don’t need heroes (at bat). We just want to get runners on and the next person gets up to do the job."

Punahou coach Robert Makahilahila feels for his players, who will not get to move on.

"I’d be lying if I said this loss wasn’t heartbreaking," he said. "Our goal was to make the state tournament."

Kamehameha already has a state berth locked up, having won the ILH championship.

Kaili-Ann Akimseu and Jenna Kumabe, Lia Nakamoto (7). Nicole Nishizawa, Jolie Fujita (7) and Sara Buck. W–Akimseu.

L–Nishizawa.

Leading hitters–Mid-Pacific: Akimseu 3-4, 2b; Marissa Allen HR, RBIs; Samantha Sakihara 2-3, 3b, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Beyli Correa 2 SACs, RBI, McKenna Silva RBI; Breeze-lyn Morita, RBI. Punahou: Krystin Wong 2-2, 2 runs; Nishizawa 2-4, 2b, HR, 2 RBIs; Kawai Mielke RBI; Buck RBI. 

No. 3 MARYKNOLL 5, ‘IOLANI 4

Kamryn Kamakaiwi singled in Tamia Hirano with the go-ahead run in the fifth inning as the Spartans beat the Raiders.

Shearyna Labasan picked up the victory and batted 3-for-4 with two doubles and Nohea Hee doubled and had two RBIs.

Katie Yuu and Cassie Ho. Shearyna Labasan and Nohea Hee. W–Labasan. L–Yuu.

Leading hitters–‘Iolani: Alyssa Espiritu 2b; Ho 2-3. Maryknoll: Labasan 3-4, 2 2bs; Hee 2b, 2 RBIs; Kamalei Labasan 2b; Kasey Magdadaro 3-3, 2b.