Mililani went out looking for payback on Wednesday.
The Trojans’ upset of top-seeded Mid-Pacific gave them another shot at redemption on Thursday.
A year after losing to MPI in the state championship game, Mililani bolted ahead early and held on late for a 5-4 win in the Division I quarterfinals of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball State Championships at Les Murakami Stadium.
The Trojans scored three runs in the top of the first and junior Micah Chinen held off the Owls’ seventh-inning rally to earn a complete-game win.
"We tried to stay calm and we just tried to play our game," Chinen said of surviving MPI’s push in the seventh. "I knew my D would back me up. We’re very close and we played as one team.
"We got to finish what we didn’t finish last year so it was an honor."
Mililani advanced to face Kailua in a 4 p.m. semifinal game at Murakami Stadium. The Trojans and Surfriders last met on May 2 with Kailua pulling out a 4-3 win in the semifinals of the OIA Red playoffs.
"Kaliua’s a well-coached team," Mililani coach Mark Hirayama said. "They’re always scrappy and ready to play and I look forward to playing another quality team."
Mililani Justice Nakagawa paced the Trojans offense by driving in three runs and was solid up the middle at shortstop. So there was a sense of relief for Hirayama when a grounder went his way with two out and the tying run on second in the bottom of the seventh.
"It means a lot of because last year’s seniors worked so hard and came up short," Nakagawa said. "This year we just wanted it."
Mililani broke ahead with three runs in the top of the first inning. Sean Sonognini drove in Kaimana Souza-Paaluhi with a single into left field and Nakagawa’s sinking liner into center got past Cal Muramaru for a two-run double, giving Mililani a 3-0 lead.
"They got that three spot at the start, made it tough for us to come back," MPI coach Dunn Muramaru said. "(The Owls) accomplished so much this year and we just ran into a bad first inning."
Chinen retired eight straight starting with Cameron Igarashi’s sacrifice fly in the fourth and Mililani took a 4-2 lead into the seventh. The Trojans put runners on second and third with one out and Devin Awai scored on a wild pitch to push the lead to three.
The Trojans needed the insurance as MPI battled back in the bottom of the inning. Noah Shackles led off with a single through the left side and Tyler Yamaguchi drove in Jarrod Infante with a triple to center field. Yamaguchi then scored on Ryan Kiyotoki’s ground out to bring the Owls within a run with two out.
Jarrett Lum was hit by a pitch. Pinch runner Sean Kinel stole second, but Chinen got the final groundout to end the game.
| MILILANI (11-6) |
301 |
000 |
1 |
— |
5 |
10 |
1 |
| MPI (15-4-1) |
010 |
100 |
2 |
– |
4 |
4 |
0 |
Micah Chinen and Sean Sonognini. Chase Wago, Jacob Maekawa (3) and Noah Shackles. W— Chinen. L—Wago.
Leading hitters—Mil: Kaimana Souza-Paaluhi, 3-4; Adam Connell, 2B; Sonognini, RBI; Justice Nakagawa, 2-3, 2B, 3 RBIs. MPI: Shackles, 2-3; Cameron Igarashi, RBI; Tyler Yamaguchi, 2-3, 2B, 3B, 3 RBIs; Ryan Kiyotoki, RBI.
