Holding a two-run lead in the bottom of the seventh, previously undefeated Mililani committed three errors to help a determined Pearl City baseball team score three runs for a 4-3 OIA West victory.

"I told the kids before the game about how Mililani is the class of the league, and they’ve been that team, making it to the state final the last two years," first-year Chargers coach Gavin Concepcion said after the win. "We botched some plays, but we stuck with it and forced them (the Trojans) to make plays. We were fortunate Mililani made some bad throws. They rarely make mistakes like that."

With the win, scrappy Pearl City (7-3) moved closer to the first-place Trojans (9-1), with Campbell (8-2) in between in the top echelon of the OIA West.

"We didn’t take care of the ball," said coach Mark Hirayama, whose Trojans are ranked No. 1 in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Top 10. "They (Pearl City) battled and put the pressure on us and we didn’t react well. A lot of close games have gone our way this year, and this one showed us that we’ve got to do a better job driving in runners. We didn’t today and it bit us in the butt."

The Chargers didn’t have a hit in their seventh-inning rally. It started with walks to Tyler Tashiro and Brent Clymer. Sam Prentice sacrificed them over and was safe at first when the throw bounced off the glove of second baseman Jarrin Morikawa, who was covering first. Morikawa alertly picked up the ball and fired to second to get Clymer for the first out. Nicholas Au followed with a walk to load the bases and Tyler Kushima hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2. After the relay throw in, Trojans shortstop Justice Nakagawa tried to nail Au at second, but the throw went into right field, allowing Prentice to score for a 3-all tie, and Au went to third on the play.

Robert Baker, Mililani’s fifth pitcher, intentionally walked two batters, and Shaye Higa hit a nubber toward shortstop. Nakagawa charged it and threw wide to first and Au came home with the winning run.

"It was a tough play," Hirayama said. "He had to make that throw on the run and he picked up the ball with a funny spin on it. We put too many guys on and Pearl City did not give up."

Said Higa, who hit the grounder, "Coach tells us to try to hit hard grounders and I happened to make contact. It was do or die. Up the line, I could tell by the first baseman’s gestures that it was going past him. It was all excitement for us. We got the ‘W’."

Earlier, starting pitchers Trenton Darley of the Chargers and Koa Eastlack of the Trojans were locked in a duel. All seven of the game’s runs were unearned and their were nine errors in all. Pearl City righty Chevy Sumile finished up the final two innings for the victory.

Mililani’s Kyson Outram, the team’s fourth pitcher of the game and second of three hurlers used in the seventh, took the loss.

Ty De Sa’s booming RBI double in the third gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead. The Chargers tied it 1-all in the fifth, when Prentice beat out an infield hit, moved up two bases on a botched pickoff attempt and scored on a wild pitch.

Pinch hitter Aris-Shey Nakagawa’s RBI single keyed Mililani’s two-run sixth for the 3-1 edge.

"The game of baseball gave us one today," Pearl City’s Concepcion said. "Next time, the game might not be so generous and will want us to show that we know how to win."

At Pearl City

Koa Eastlack, Tyler Kaneshiro (5), Keolu Ramos (7), Kyson Outram (7), Robert Baker (7) and Sean Sonognini. Trenton Darley, Chevy Sumile (6) and Shaye Higa.
W—Sumile. L—Outram.
Leading hitters—Mililani: Ty De Sa 2b, RBI; CJ Ibara 2-2; Aris-Shey Nakagawa RBI. Pearl City: Tyler Kushima 2-3.

LEILEHUA 4, RADFORD 2

Mules hurler Trayson Kubo spun a complete game gem, allowing two unearned runs on two hits while striking out 10 Rams.

Jared Academia led Leilehua at the plate with two hits and two walks, including a double and two RBIs.

At Leilehua

Landyn Bartness and Dominic Albalos. Trayson Kubo and Kebi Dellatan.
W—Kubo. L—Bartness.
Leading hitters—Leilehua: Jared Academia 2-2, 2b, 2 RBIs.

OIA RED EAST BASEBALL

CASTLE 2, MOANALUA 1

Noah Sawyer drove in Alakai Kim, who had tripled earlier in the fifth inning, to provide the Knights with what turned out to be the winning run.

Na Menehune failed to capitalize on multiple offensive opportunities and stranded 11 on base.

At Castle

Skyler Yamamoto, Dez Oki-Takahashi (6) and Kekaulike Kalua. Ezekeil Keama, Stephen Lee (6) and Maui Gaison.
W—Keama. L—Yamamoto. S—Lee.
Leading hitters—Moanalua: Casupang 2-2. Castle: Alakai Kim 3b.