In a game where Moanalua and Kaiser each had comfortable leads and squandered them, it was perhaps fitting that the outcome would swing toward whoever hit last.

It turned out to be Na Menehune, who outlasted the Cougars in a 14-13 senior night OIA baseball slugfest after Andrew Oasay was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning,

“We can fight back, we’re not just gonna roll over to anybody,” said Oasay, who had a team-high three hits and two doubles with two RBIs. “It feels good. I was a four-year vars guy and I was trying to play for (the other seniors before), and I’m glad these guys are trying to play for us too.”

Moanalua (6-4) trailed 13-10 heading into the home half of the seventh. Third baseman Bryson Sato led off the inning with a solo home run. Kaiser (5-4) had a chance to end the game when Na Menehune’s Tyler Nakata grounded a ball to Cougar shortstop Christian Reasoner with the bases loaded and one out, but Jesse Streode’s throw from second bounced to first and was bobbled by Jace Okamoto, allowing Mathis Yamamoto to score from third. Christian Cadina’s single scored McCade Ho, tying the game at 13 before the bases loaded up again for Oasay.

But it wasn’t Moanalua’s first rally of the game. Na Menehune trailed 4-0 heading into the home half of the third before cutting the deficit to 4-3 heading into the fourth. Moanalua scored six more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 9-4 lead.

Both starters had shorter starts than expected due to the offensive outbursts. Kaiser’s Pono Lyman lasted 3 2⁄3 innings and gave up nine runs in 87 pitches, although only three of those were earned. Branden Chung-Ming allowed three runs on six hits in 21⁄3 innings, but was in line for the win when he yielded to Jake Nam in the bottom of the seventh, who was only able to record two outs.

Moanalua starter Austyn Kometani was pulled after allowing five hits and four runs in 21⁄3 innings. Christian Capinia picked up the win, allowing two runs in 11⁄3 innings with one strikeout.

Facing a 10-6 deficit in the top of the sixth, Kaiser erupted for six runs, highlighted by Reasoner’s three-run home run that barely cleared Moanalua’s right-field wall 286 feet away.

The Cougars scored their last run in the top of the seventh when Kennedy Chun drove in Antonio Omphroy on a fielder’s choice.

“That moment, I was just trying to get a base hit. I just went (the opposite way), that just happened,” Reasoner said. “We put up a lot of runs but we also gave up a lot of runs on defense. That’s the main thing we gotta work on, we gotta toughen that up.”

Reasoner’s four hits and five RBIs were both game highs, but Kaiser’s defense committed three errors and allowed nine walks on the mound, helping Na Menehune to claw their way back into the game.

“Unfortunately our pitching and our defense let us down,” Kaiser coach Kila Kaaihue said. “We gave them the game, I mean, we beat ourself. Moanalua kept fighting, they stayed in there.”

Besides getting the win, Moanalua coach Scott Yamada wasn’t pleased with his team either. Na Menehune committed four errors in the sixth inning alone and finished with six in total.

“Just happy with the W, but not pleased with our defense,” he said. “I don’t think we can play like that and give up that many runs. It just killed us and it let them back in the game.

“They swung the bat and I have to give them credit and we just hung in there. That’s a positive thing.”