Wailuku, Maui >> There is no underdog in blue and gold, just a giant killer.

Pono Lyman led the charge for Kaiser, allowing just one earned run in seven innings as the Cougars surprised Campbell 6-4 on Wednesday morning in the opening round of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball Division I State Championship at Iron Maehara Stadium.

Kaiser (13-12-1 overall) will meet ILH champion Punahou (22-5-1), the second seed, today in the quarterfinals. Campbell (18-4-1) was the OIA runner-up and Kaiser was fourth in the league playoffs.

“We don’t think of ourselves as underdogs. We think we can beat anybody in this tournament,” said second baseman Gyson Oshiro, who drove in three runs. “Anybody in our path, we’re going to try to check out.”

Lyman came into the game averaging nearly a walk per inning, but struck out five and didn’t issue a single base on balls.

“This is definitely his best game,” Kaiser coach Kila Kaaihue said. “It could’ve been a lot better. We made two crucial errors. Those errors put another 20, 30 pitches on him.”

Lyman’s counterpart, Dayton Robinson, was on fire early. The first five outs he recorded were all by strikeouts. Cal Tashiro’s fly ball ended the streak in the second inning.

“I think a lot of that was nerves to start. Once the boys settled in, once they got into the flow of the game, I mean, Pono gave us a chance to do that,” Kaaihue said. “He went out there and really set the tone. We got that first hit, a couple of big hits and we started going from there.”

The lower half of the order clutched up for Kaiser. Oshiro, batting sixth, had an RBI single in the fourth and a two-run double in the seventh. Number nine hitter Noah Matsumoto had a key RBI single in the sixth. The Cougars amassed 11 hits against a normally stingy Campbell pitching staff.

Kaiser finished fourth in the OIA playoffs last week while Campbell lost a squeaker to Mililani, 3-2 in the championship game. The Sabers are ranked No. 7 in the Star-Advertiser Top 10.

Campbell left fielder Bryden Malama came up with a gem in the third inning, crashing into the fence in foul territory on a fly ball by Cavin Lime to make the catch. Malama was down for a minute before jogging back to the dugout.

Meanwhile, Lyman’s defense came up big with two double plays, and they turned a pickoff into another easy out.

Kaiser broke through in the top of the fourth with two runs as Robinson’s accuracy eroded. Christian Reasoner walked, Brock Perreira sliced a double to left field, and Oshiro singled to center, scoring Reasoner from third.

Branden Chun-Ming grounded into a forceout, scoring Perreira from third for a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth, Lime doubled with two outs and Reasoner singled to left, scoring Lime for a three-run lead.

Through five innings, Lyman allowed no runs on two hits and had thrown just 48 pitches.

In the sixth, Kaiser tacked on another insurance run against new pitcher Kaimana Savaiinaea.

Tashiro, batting eighth in the lineup, socked a one-out double and advanced to third base on a fielding error. Matsumoto then pulled a fastball to right for a single, plating Tashiro for a 4-0 lead.

Campbell’s bats woke up in the bottom of the sixth with a gift from the Cougars. Robinson reached on an infield error and Cody Ranit singled. With runners at the corners, Shayden Sabangan ripped a double down the left-field line, scoring courtesy runner Aaron Doldolea. Devin Gallano’s sacrifice fly brought pinch runner Richard Tadeo from third.

Ikaika Ganancial then tripled to left, scoring Sabangan as Campbell got within 4-3.

Kaiser responded with two crucial insurance runs in the top of the seventh against Campbell reliever Zach Palipti.

Landon Shigeta and Reasoner singled, with Reasoner reaching second base on an error at third base on a throw from right field. With two outs, Oshiro drilled a 1-2 pitch for a double to right, bringing both runners home for a 6-3 lead.

Campbell brought in a run in the bottom of the seventh when Malama doubled and Ranit singled him home, but Lyman got Robinson to fly out, ending the game.

Kamehameha 4, Castle 0

Paa Elarionoff socked a solo home run in the third inning and Javyn Pimental struck out eight in five scoreless innings as the Warriors advanced.

Pimental and Castle’s Baron Arquero were locked in a pitchers duel for five innings, but Kamehameha (18-11 overall) plated three runs in the top of the sixth to get some breathing room.

Josiah Pekelo walked with one out and Dante Park followed with a home run to left. After Vince Venenciano tripled to right, he came home on a single to center by Beau Sylvester.

Pimental allowed just two hits and walked one before handing the ball to Kalena Sauer, who hurled two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.

“I just pound the zone, but I was lucky enough our defense made plays when it counted and it worked out in the end,” Pimental said.

Waiakea 9, Saint Louis 4

Kalai Rosario homered and the Warriors took advantage of four Crusader errors to advance. Ty Honda went the distance in a resilient effort, permitting four runs on 10 hits. He did not strike out or walk a batter.

Waiakea (22-4), the BIIF runner-up, will meet defending state champion Baldwin (22-1) in the quarterfinal round.

“We’ve been telling the boys that we need five wins to get where we want,” Warriors coach Eric Kurosawa said. “Saint Louis is a very good team. A very aggressive team. Well coached.”

Caleb Lomavita and Hunter Peneueta each smacked two-run homers for Saint Louis (21-10), the third-place team from the ILH.

It was an afternoon of frustration for Saint Louis, which stranded two runners in the top of the first, then saw Waiakea score three times in the bottom of the frame.

Stone Miyao and Rosario singled, then scored on a double by Safea Mauai. After Cody Min singled to score Mauai, the Warriors led by three.

In the second, Waiakea opened the lead to 5-0. Cody Kunimitsu reached base on a passed ball (strikeout) and Rosario followed with a towering shot to left-center that landed past the scoreboard, more than 380 feet from home plate.

Saint Louis got a two-run shot from Lomavita in the top of the third, but the momentum was snuffed out moments later when Waiakea scored four runs in the bottom of the frame.

Stone Miyao’s bases-loaded single brought a run home, but it was three errors by the Crusaders that fueled the inning.

Hunter Peneueta’s two-run shot to left, scoring Makana Ontai (hit by pitch), closed the scoring for Saint Louis in the fourth.