Mililani shows Pearl City it’s still boss out West

Much like the construction adjacent to its diamond, Pearl City softball is building something.

Coach Chad Obara’s powerhouse is a work in progress, but for now, the Mililani Trojans have something to say about the pecking order of the ruthless Oahu Interscholastic Association West Division.

Behind three-hit performances at the plate by second baseman Keri Togami and shortstop Maya Yoshiura, No. 2-ranked Mililani girls softball team rallied from a 4-1 deficit for a 12-5 win over No. 6 Pearl City on Friday in the league opener for both teams.

“You’ve got to get on base. You’ve got to hit and score runs,” Mililani coach Rose Antonio said.

“They were disciplined in going after the right pitches and laying off the rest of them.”

Ace Aubree Kim allowed three earned runs, scattered seven hits, struck out eight, walked four, hit one batter and had three wild pitches. She was resilient from the start for a complete-game win.

“Pearl City is a good team. I remember all their players from last year,” said Kim, a senior. “I could’ve done better today. Sometimes you have those days when you’re off.”

“Aubree’s such a great competitor,” Obara said. “She struggled for a little bit. You could be up 10 runs or down 10, she’ll find a way to compete.”

Mililani got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning when Togami tripled to right and scored on a double by Merilas “Mama” Rivera.

Pearl City reached Kim for three runs in the bottom of the third, getting a two-run single by Kylie Tasaki, who later scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead.

After Tyanna Kaaialii reached base on an infield error and later scored on another Kim wild pitch, the home team led 4-1 after four. At that point, Pearl City starter Kristin Frost had pitched three solid innings and Kaaialii, the reliever, seemed to be in control. Then came the fifth frame.

“We had to adjust to (Frost’s) pitches. We needed to see her pitch,” Togami said. “She was hitting her spots well.”

Brooke Yasuda led off with a bunt single and scored on a double to center by Togami. Yoshiura was at the plate with a 1-2 count when a rising fastball plunked home plate umpire James Fritz on the forehead. Fritz backpedalled all the way to the backstop after taking the blow, but remained in the game after clearing the cobwebs for a few minutes.

On the next pitch, Yoshiura smashed a line drive off the glove of Tasaki, the third baseman, and Togami scored to cut the lead to 4-3. Rivera walked, and with one out, Shannon Pascua-Stanton’s bloop single to center brought Yoshiura home to tie the game at 4.

Tristan Cozo followed with a single to right, bringing Rivera’s courtesy runner, Maya Saneishi, home with the go-ahead run. Markie Okamoto’s fielder’s choice grounder then brought Pascua-Stanton in to cap the five-run inning, increasing Mililani’s lead to 6-4.

Frost, who returned to the mound during the fifth inning, couldn’t stop the Trojans’ onslaught. Mililani got an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Yoshiura singled with two outs and scored on a double to left by Rivera for a 7-4 lead.

Pearl City stayed close, scoring in the bottom of the sixth when Kaaialii doubled to left and scored on a single by Darian Obara.

Then came Mililani’s five-run seventh inning. Pascua-Stanton was hit by pitch and advanced to third on a double by Okamoto. Pinch hitter Tracie Okumura then smacked a double to left, bringing home both baserunners for a 9-5 lead.

After Togami singled with two outs, Yoshiura socked a three-run homer to left.

ILH DIVISION I BASEBALL

No. 3 Saint Louis 1, Maryknoll 0

Matthew Dunaway recorded 13 strikeouts for the Spartans, but it wasn’t enough as the Crusaders earned their first conference win. Saint Louis scored the winning run in the first inning on an RBI single by Taylor Meilleur.

Royce Hirayama, Dylan Lam (7) and catcher not reported. Matthew Dunaway and catcher not reported.

W–Hirayama. L–Dunaway.

Leading hitters–StL: none. Mryk: Jarin Kobashigawa 2-3; Dunaway 2-3.

No. 6 Kamehameha 3, No. 1 Mid-Pacific 2, 9 inn.

Chase Miyasato hit two doubles to lead the Warriors over the Owls in nine innings.

Kawai Takemura and Makoa Mau also paired hits for Kamehameha.

Sophomore Blaze Pontes earned the win on the mound.

Makoa Mau, Hunter Breault (6), Blaze Pontes (7) and Reven Wong. Ethan Fujikami, Jacob Maekawa (6) and Isaac Kimura.

W–Pontes. L–Maekawa.

Leading hitters–KS: Chase Miyasato 2-4, two 2bs, RBI; Kawai Takemura 2-3, 2b, 2 runs; Mau 2-4; Micah Hee 2b. MPI: Alex Oley 2-4, RBI; Chase Wago 2-4.

ilh division iI baseball

Hanalani 11, Pac-Five 6

Reyn Romero hammered a grand slam in the second inning to lift the Royals over the Wolfpack.

Hanalani committed seven errors, but pulled out the win with 10 hits. Chad Wakabayashi earned the win on the mound with five strikeouts over six innings.

Brett Watanabe, Canaan Fernandez (4) and Jared Miyasato. Chad Wakabayashi, Aidan Koanui (7) and Reyn Romero.

W–Wakabayashi. L–Watanabe.

Leading hitters–Pac: Ryan Moritsugu 2-4, run; Matt Matsuda 2-4, 2 RBIs, run. Han: Aaron Leong 2-3, 3 runs; Romero HR, 4 RBIs; Matt Tsutsui 3-4, 2 RBIs; Wakabayashi 2-3, 3b, 4 RBIs.

OIA RED WEST BASEBALL

No. 2 Mililani 7, Waipahu 6

The Trojans held onto an early one-run lead to fend off the Marauders. Hunter Kirihara led Mililani with two hits and a double.

Waipahu’s Micah Takayama went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Ryan Ancheta, Damien Lung (4), Shane Griffin (6), Justin Ogasawara (7) and Hunter Kirihara. Michael Price, Eric Ishiki (6) and Cole Phillips.

W–Ancheta. L–Price.

Leading hitters–Mil: Ryan Kono 2-4; Kirihara 2-3, 2b. Waip: Micah Takayama 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs, run.

ILH SOFTBALL

No. 5 Punahou 11, St. Francis 1

The second-ranked Buffanblu cruised to a six-inning win over the Saints.

Punahou’s Nicole Nishizawa pitched a complete game for the win and Shelbie Fujinaga drove in two runs.

Resela Villi, Tiare Guerrero (5), Shaye Simms (6) and Jessica Hudson. Nicole Nishizawa and Sara Buck.

W–Nishizawa. L–Villi.

Leading hitters–StF: Danielle Antolin 2-4. Pun: Shelbie Fujinaga 2-3, 2 RBIs, run; Heaven Wong 2-4, 2 runs; Sarah Sumida 2-2, 2b, RBI, 2 runs; Buck 2b, RBI; Jessica Shimoda 2b, 2 RBIs, run.

OIA softball

No. 2 Mililani 12, Pearl City 5

Aubree Kim and Markie Okamoto.

Leading hitters–Mililani: Keri Togami 3-5, 3B, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Maya Yoshiura 3-4, HR, 3 RBIs, 3 runs, BB; Merilas Rivera 2-4, two 2B, 2 RBIs, run, BB; Okamoto 2-4, two 2Bs, RBI, run; Brooke Yasuda 2-3, run. PC: Darian Obara 2-4, RBI; Kylie Tasaki 2-4, 2 RBIs, run; Tyanna Kaaialii 1-3, 2B, 2 runs.