On the surface, Kailua baseball coach Corey Ishigo has always been about business.

But beneath the stoic exterior is a patient guru with a penchant for flexibility. The Surfriders were a case study on Monday, using a wild three-run fifth inning to pull away for a 7-3 win over Moanalua at the Surfriders’ field.

Kailua improved to 2-0 in OIA Red play, getting solid work on the mound from starting sophomore Matt Hanano and freshman Joey Cantillo. Hanano went four innings for the win and Cantillo, a lefty with a quick kick and release, got the save. Hanano is one of nine Surfriders who were varsity lettermen as freshmen a year ago.

With so many young players on the varsity, Kailua struggled through its JV season in the fall.

"I started to doubt myself," Ishigo said.

Then the varsity stumbled through preseason, indicating that a team with five seniors and 10 sophomores would probably be on a learning curve again.

But now the Surfriders have posted wins over two solid programs, Moanalua and Castle. This time, leadoff hitter Peter Kanoho was key, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. The senior set the tone against Moanalua’s Nicholas Manago, who stands roughly at 6-foot-3.

"Coach said to keep the elbows down and chop it," Kanoho said. "(Manago) is tall. He should play basketball."

After falling behind 1-0 in the first, Kailua scored three times in the bottom of the third, and Moanalua had to chase from there. Na Menehune scored in the fourth on Austin Faulkner’s double to left, driving in Kyle Aganos and cutting the lead to 3-2.

Kailua answered in the bottom of the fourth with a run when Jameson White scored on an infield error, then added three runs in the fifth, with all three outs in the frame coming on baserunning miscues.

After Dalton Kalama was tagged out at home trying to score from second on an infield error, Lawson Faria blasted a double to right, scoring Joseph Byers. Brandon Lono came in to score on a wild pitch, making it 6-2.

Keiki Kanahele-Santos then blasted a double to deep center, bringing Faria home with the third run of the inning.

Brendan Odo’s grounder to third turned into an error, but Kanahele-Santos was thrown out by a mile at home by relief pitcher Mark Kuga. Odo was then picked off at first by Moanalua catcher Brayton Sakai to end the inning.

Still, it was enough to top Moanalua, which got its final run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Aganos.

"It’s still early in the season," Ishigo said of his tolerance for baserunning gambits. "It’s always the player’s call. We want them to be aggressive and we want them to learn. I don’t scold players or coaches. Hopefully, we learn."

Perhaps because the Surfriders are young or still gaining confidence, or both, there;s little talk of taking the OIA Red championship.

"Coach wants us to take it one game at a time," Kanoho said. "We don’t look too forward."

At Kailua

Moanalua (1-1) 100 101 0 — 3 5 2

Kailua (2-0) 030 130 x — 7 8 3

Nicholas Manago, Tanner Inouye (5) and Brayton Sakai. Matt Hanano, Joey Cantillo (5) and Dalton Kalama.

W–Hanano. S–Cantillo. L–Manago.

Leading hitters–Moan: Casey Isa 2b; Mark Kuga 2-3. Kail: Peter Kanoho 2-4, 2 RBIs; Lawson Faria 2b; Keiki Kanahele-Santos 2b.

OIA RED WEST BASEBALL

Campbell 12,

Pearl City 0, 5 inn.

Dewayne Sprinkel had two hits and scored two runs as the Sabers shut out the Chargers in five innings.

At Campbell

Pearl City (0-1) 000 00 — 0 2 5

Campbell (2-0) 900 3X — 12 10 1

Tyler Kushima, Chevy Sumile (1) and Shaye Higa. Ian Kahaloa and Tryzen Patricio, Blayze Arcano-Llacuna(4).

W–Kahaloa. L–Kushima.

Leading hitters–Camp:Dewayne Sprinkel 2-3, 2 runs; Keola Himan 2b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Dorrien Hermosera 2b; Jake Mendoza 2b; Kainoa Ganancial 2b.

ILH SOFTBALL

‘Iolani 6, St. Francis 4

The Raiders scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning to rally and defeat the Saints.

Macy Uyehara led ‘Iolani’s offense with two hits.

At St. Francis

‘Iolani (2-0) 000 000 6 — 6 7 3

St. Francis (0-3) 102 000 1 — 4 7 2

Alyssa Espiritu, Taylor Garcia-Perreira and Cassie Ho. Shaye Simms and T. Creekmur.

W–Garcia-Perriera. L–Simms.

Leading hitters–Iol: Macy Uyehara 2-4, RBI; Lindsay Teruya 2b. StF: Simms 2-4, 2 RBIs; K. Santos 2-4.

OIA RED EAST SOFTBALL

Moanalua 19,

Roosevelt 0, 5 inn.

Cyanne Fernandez went

2-for-4 and cleared the bases with a triple in the bottom of the third as Na Menehune routed the Rough Riders in five innings.

At Roosevelt

Moanalua (2-0) 258 22 — 19 14 2

Roosevelt (0-1) 000 00 — 0 0 10

Leisha Yamauchi and Chris Omalza. Danika Stewart and Kaohi Kapiko.

W–Yamauchi. L–Stewart.

Leading hitters–Moan:Taylor Takushi 2-2, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Cyanne Fernandez 2-4, 2b, 3b, 3 RBIs, 3 runs; Omalza 2-4, 2b, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Tara Dumlao 2-2, 2b, 3 runs. Roos:none.

Kaiser 5, Kailua 3

Kai Hasegawa doubled to center field in the top of the eigth inning to break a tie and lead the Cougars past the Surfriders.

At Kailua

Kaiser (2-0) 000 000 32 — 5 11 2

Kailua (1-1) 101 001 00 — 3 7 3

Crystal Ching-Lake, Seli Aholelei (6) and Tiana Ching-Lake. Shaelyn Kumai-Farrell and Skyler Nojima. W–Aholelei. L–Kumai-Farrell.

Leading hitters–Kais: Kai Hasegawa 3-5, 2 2bs; Seli Aholelei 2-4. Kail: Robi Lono 3-4, 2 2bs; Leilani Lastimosa 3-3, 2 2bs.