Mules' starting pitcher Kaena Nistal helps herself with a solo home run in the fifth inning for their sixth run of the game. Spencer Honda | SL

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WAHIAWA — No. 8 Leilehua slugged three home runs in a four-run fifth inning to rally by No. 7 Mililani, 6-4, Friday at Kaala Elementary School field.

The Mules (2-2) snapped a two-game losing streak in handing the Trojans (2-1) their first loss of the Oahu Interscholastic Associaton Western Division season.

Pomai Nahulu, Ashley Salausa and pitcher Kaena Nistal homered in Mules' fifth.

No one could remember the last time the Mules beat the Trojans, who have been a force in the West for decades.

"It's been a while," Leilehua coach Stacy Araki said. "It feels good. For the coaching staff, too."

The Mules, though, look like they have the pop to return to glory of the late 1980s, when they won the West from 1987 to 1989 and were in either the OIA or state title game in those seasons, though they fell short in those games during that span.

"This lineup that we have is our power lineup," Araki said. "So we kind of expected (the home runs)."

"They're one of the top teams in the West," Mililani coach Rose Antonio said. "They're going to hit the ball. They have strong kids. That's how it's going to be."

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The slugfest saw the teams combine for five home runs on a windless, voggy day in central Oahu. Maya Yoshiura and Katie Carlos homered for the Trojans.

But the day belonged to Nistal, who was charged with four runs, two unearned and seven hits with eight strikeouts against no walks in the complete-game performance. She held the Trojans' heart of the order — Mama Rivera, Cherise Mori and Shannon Pascua-Stanton, the 3, 4 and 5 hitters in the lineup — to a combined two singles in 11 at-bats.

"I just tried to stay off the plate (against those players) because they're really good hitters," Nistal said.

"I think she was more determined today because of the two losses we had," Araki said of Nistal. "She focused more and played her game."

Trojans' starting pitcher Misha Carreira was tagged for six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings before giving way to Cheyenne Ardona, who pitched the final 1 2/3 innings.

The Mules struck in the home first, showing a glimpse of power. Brandi Leong was hit by a pitch, took second on Nahulu's sacrifice, went to third on Salausa's single to left and scored on Mahea Calizo's sacrifice fly to right that sent Salausa to third. Nistal then doubled home Salausa to make it 2-0 before Carreira struck out Gianna Araki.

But that lead disappeared in the third. Jarae Keliikoa reached on an error and two outs later came home on Yoshiura's home run to left-center on an 0-2 count.

"I kind of missed it," Nistal said of the spot she was supposed to hit with her pitch. 

But Nistal retired University of Hawaii signee Rivers on a grounder to short to end the inning.

The Trojans gained the lead in the fourth on a solo home run by Carlos, a sophomore reserve catcher who started in place of returning starter Markie Okamoto, who is slowly getting back from a shoulder injury, but was able to pinch hit later in the game.

But Mules sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good.

With one out, Nahulu drilled a solo homer to left to tie the game at 3. Salausa followed with a homer to center to put the Mules ahead. After Mahea Calizo reached on an infield single Nistal hit the first pitch she saw for a two-run homer to left to make it 6-3 to end Carreira's day in the circle.

"It felt real good," Nistal said of homering to make up for the two she allowed. "I was just trying to get it and stay level."

Ardona came in, allowing an infield single to Araki and walked Stasia Micky. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, Ardona struck out pinch hitter Kawena Kahana-Travis and got Mikayla Pinera to ground out to second to prevent further damage.

The Trojans made it a game in the final two innings. Okamoto's pinch-hit RBI single pulled them to within 6-4, but Nistal struck out Keliikoa with two runners aboard to end the inning.

In the top of the seventh, the Trojans had the first two runners each, but Nistal retired Yoshiura, Rivera and Mori on successive fly outs to center fielder Pinera to strand the tying run on base to end the game.