Mililani is back in the OIA baseball championship game after a 13-3 runaway win over Kailua on Friday.

The Trojans scored seven runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth to put the game in 10-run mercy-rule territory before a loud audience at Hans L’Orange Park.

The Trojans (11-6 overall) will meet West rival Pearl City for the OIA crown. They won the OIA championship in 2018 and again in ’19. Then came the pandemic and early-season cancellation of the ’20 season, and no playoffs or state tourney in ’21.

This year’s men of Troy have that title-town feel and look. Leadoff hitter Kaleb Pongasi set the tone for Mililani’s 13-hit attack. He went 3-for-4, scored three runs and drove in two more. Brayden Suehisa, their resilient clean-up man, was 3-for-3 with a triple, two runs batted in and two runs scored. Catcher BJ Tokushima, the fifth batter in Mililani’s lineup, was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run.

“Coach (Mark Hirayama) just wanted us to stick to ourselves and don’t be too big,” Pongasi said.

That goes for the Trojans on and off the field. By 8:15 a.m. today, they will participate in the opening ceremony of the COBA (Central Oahu Baseball Association) spring season. In full uniform. Eleven hours later, Mililani will square off with Pearl City, a team that last won the OIA title in 2009.

“COBA just asked us to come out and we’ll see. I’m not sure what we’re going to do,” Hirayama said. “It’s for the kids and we want to give back. I told all these guys, this is where you started. These guys look up to the high school guys.”

Coach Hirayama was pleased with the semifinal effort.

“That was a complete ball game for us. We pitched, we played defense, we put the ball in play. You can’t ask for more than these guys,” Hirayama said. “They’ve worked hard and trying to believe in what we do, having a little confidence, and good things happen.”

The Surfriders then drew first blood in the second frame with classic Kailua verve. Makai Miyamoto reached base with a single and Kaelan Kauhi walked, and with two outs, they advanced on a double steal. A moment later, pitcher Randyn Rios got distracted by Miyamoto at third base and was called for a balk, giving Kailua a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Suehisa led off with a triple to the left-center alley. Kailua pitcher Rayvin Pagan struck out the next two batters, but Bruce Nuha singled to center, scoring Suehisa to tie the game.

In the third, Jaden Miranda led off with a double and Pongasi followed with a bunt single. Zen Staszkow’s sacrifice fly scored Miranda for a 2-1 Mililani lead. Suehisa then singled, plating Pongasi for a two-run cushion.

The Surfriders stayed close with a single run in the top of the fourth. Orion Medeiros drew a leadoff walk and later scored from third base on a wild pitch by Rios.

Then came the seven-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth by the Trojans. Four hits, three walks and a Kailua error turned a one-run game into a 10-2 lead for Mililani. Pongasi had an RBI single, Ethan Murakoshi had a sac fly, and Suehisa and Zech Tokushima had run-scoring singles.

Kailua tacked on a run in the top of the fifth. Nai Iwaki and Mikey Hanano singled, and Iwaki later scored on a wild pitch for Kailua’s third and final run.

In the bottom of the fifth, Murakoshi had another sacrifice fly and Tokushima ended it with an RBI single.

Kailua (9-8 overall) will meet Kalani for third place.

Both teams have already qualified for the state championships.