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Mililani’s BJ Tokushima came through in the clutch Saturday in yet another close game against Pearl City.
Tokushima hit the go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning as Mililani edged Pearl City 5-4 in the final of the OIA Division I baseball tournament at Hans L’Orange Park.
Tokushima’s two-out hit to right-center off Chargers reliever Devin Hayashi scored Zen Staszkow from second.
“The last at-bat he was throwing me a lot of fastballs outside, so I was just thinking look for something I could hit to the right side. That’s what he gave to me and it just happened,” said Tokushima, a senior catcher.
Jaden Miranda pitched the seventh with two strikeouts for the save.
“We finally have someone who can shut things down in a close ballgame,” Mililani coach Mark Hirayama said of his senior closer.
Mililani will be the OIA’s seeded team and receive a first-round bye in the Wally Yonamine Foundation Division I baseball championships May 4-7 at Iron Maehara Stadium on Maui.
Pearl City, Kalani, Kailua and Moanalua also will represent the league.
Pearl City beat Mililani 2-1 on March 19, and Mililani beat Pearl City 11-10 on April 8.
“The games between our two teams — Mililani and Pearl City — they’re just battles. They’re always battles till the end,” said Pearl City assistant coach Eric Boyles.
Kai Hirayama, no relation to the coach, worked the first six innings for Mililani, which has won the last three OIA titles. The freshman left-hander allowed four runs — one earned — with five strikeouts.
“He’s pitched very little this year,” said Hirayama, the coach. “His biggest attribute is he’s a competitor. He goes out there and competes every time he gets the ball. That’s the kind of pitcher I needed out there against Pearl City. He went right after them.”
Mililani (11-2) scored in the first on Ethan Murakoshi’s single, which scored Staszkow.
Pearl City (10-3) scored two runs in the second when Mililani committed two errors on the same play. Logan Honma led off with a single to left and Jayson Au Hoy laid down a sacrifice bunt to the third baseman, whose throw got past the first baseman. The right fielder retrieved the ball and his throw to third also was errant, which allowed both runners to score.
Pearl City committed four errors and Mililani had three.
“It’s a big game. Things happen. Everyone went out there and tried their best,” said coach Hirayama.
The Trojans, the West’s No. 1 seed, tied it at 2-2 in the bottom half of the inning on Staszkow’s single, which scored Bryce Nuha.
The Chargers, the West’s No. 2 seed, took the lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Eli Oshiro, which scored Au Hoy.
Mililani went up 4-3 on a two-run single by Kaleb Pongasi, which scored Tanner Aoki and Jaden Miranda. Both runners reached on errors by Hayashi.
“My coaches told me to stay short and keep it simple,” said Pongasi, a senior left fielder. “We just had to put the ball in play and make them work and the runs would come.”
Pearl City tied it in the fifth when Ethan Higashionna scored on Dacoda Agoto’s RBI triple, which was misjudged by the left fielder.
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OIA Tournament, Division I
Fifth-Place
Moanalua 19, Kaiser 10
W—Z Miyashiro. L—Bryson Toner.
Leading hitters—Kaiser: Taylin Oana 3-4, run, RBI; Kade Hue 2-3, 2 RBI; Rylan Kawakami 2 runs; Zach Ho 2 runs, RBI, Davin Oshiro 2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI. Moanalua: Nate Alvaro 2 runs, 2 RBI; Connor Dempsey 3 runs, 3 RBI; Taven Hathaway 2-4, 3 runs, 5 RBI; Colby Casinas 3-5, run, 2 RBI; Jake Ferreira 2 runs, RBI; Dawson Sugawa 2-3, run, RBI; Rayden Miguel 2 runs.
Third-Place
Kalani 10, Kailua 0
W—Takumi Hayashi. L—Kaimana Burgo.
Leading hitters—Kalani: Christian Chinen 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Cade Amine 2 runs, RBI; Kolin Fukuki run, 2 RBI; Jase Fujikawa 2-2, 3 RBI; Noa Uchida 2 runs.
Championship
Mililani 5, Pearl City 4
W—Kai Hirayama. L—Devin Hayashi. S—Jaden Miranda.
Leading hitters—Pearl City: Dacoda Agoto 3b; Logan Honma 2-3; Jayson Au Hoy 2 runs. Mililani: Kaleb Pongasi 2 RBIs; Zen Staszkow 2-3, double, 2 runs.
MIL
Baldwin 2, Maui 1
W—Levi Maddela. L—Chris Mata.
Leading hitters—Maui: Chris Mata 2-4. Baldwin: Makane Honokaupu 2-3, RBI; Davin Lewis 2-3, run.
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