Shiigi's gem sends Mililani to the semifinals


Mililani's Jason Shiigi celebrates after an inning-ending strikeout against Kamehameha. CJ Caraang | SL

WAILUKU, Maui — Mililani's Jason Shiigi saved his best for last.

The Trojans' senior pitcher tossed a season-high nine strikeouts and scattered two hits in a complete game effort Thursday morning to power fourth-seeded Mililani over Kamehameha, 4-0, in the quarterfinals of the Wally Yonamine Foundation Division I Baseball Championships at Iron Maehara Stadium.

Behind Shiigi's performance and eight hits by the Mililani offense, the Trojans move on to face defending champion Baldwin in a 7:00 p.m. semifinal Friday.

Shiigi, who is 5-foot-11, threw six straight balls in his first seven pitches before locating the zone against the Warriors. He had inning-ending strikeouts in the four different innings, which included the first two innings to strand two Kamehameha runners on base.

The Trojans took the lead in the bottom of the second after a leadoff hit from designated hitter Charles Winchester. After a bunt by Hunter Faildo and a single by Jayton Pang, Winchester scored on a throwing error from the Kamehameha shortstop. Pang later scored to make it 2-0 on another Kamehameha error on the play when Micah Kaohu got a base hit.

Vance Oshiro's RBI in the bottom of the fourth scored Waika Fukuda to make it 3-0. The Trojans scored their final run of the day in the sixth when Ethan Thomas brought JR Suehisa home for an unearned run.

Kamehameha's Dylan Rawlins pitched the whole way and took the loss for the Warriors. He was charged with two earned runs and two wild pitches while striking out three and walking two.

Kaeden Shim and Hanu Racoma had the only hits for Kamehameha.



Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].