Hawaiian Electric Game of the Week
Trojans, Sabers to face off for OIA D1 crown


Kalani Takase | ScoringLive
April 26, 2019, 11:22pm

 



MANOA — The Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I baseball title will be decided between the best of the West Saturday night.

Mililani, the ninth-ranked team in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Power Rankings, will try to make it back-to-back league crowns when they take on unranked Campbell in the title game of the OIA D1 tournament at Les Murakami Stadium.

The teams have split two prior meetings this season. Campbell took the first game, back on March 23 at Murakami Stadium, by a score of 4-2, while Mililani avenged the defeat with a 4-1 win at home on Apr. 18.

"Probably more of the same," Trojans coach Mark Hirayama said of his expectations from Saturday's rubber match. "We always get up to play Campbell. They're a great team, a great program and it's not hard to want to come out and try to beat the best, so expect more of the same."

Hirayama's squad will have a quick turnaround after needing 11 innings to stave off a scrappy Kaiser team in Friday night's semifinal round.

"You know what, we get a chance to play for the championship again, so tonight's over with, we gotta want to come back and play tomorrow," Hirayama said.

Campbell built a four-run lead after six innings in its semifinal against No. 10 Kailua before holding on for the win.

"It's exciting. I'm excited for the kids, that's the main thing," Sabers interim coach Glenn Flores said.

Campbell will be making its first appearance in an OIA title game since 2017. It is seeking its sixth league crown and first since winning three straight from 2013-'15.

Mililani won its second OIA title in program history last year, 21 years after its first championship in 1997.

Flores said he will staff Saturday's final by-committee, while Hirayama said he will likely hand the ball to senior right-hander Jason Shiigi to start the game.

"Then after that we'll figure it out," Hirayama said.

First pitch between the Trojans (12-2) and Sabers (12-2) is scheduled for approximately 7 p.m. It will follow the D2 title game between Radford (9-2) and Waipahu (11-0) at 4 p.m.

Kailen Kimata (center) scored the Trojans' game-winning run in the 11th inning off Waika Fukuda walk-off hit to right field. Greg Yamamoto | SL Kailen Kimata (center) scored the Trojans' game-winning run in the 11th inning off Waika Fukuda walk-off hit to right field. Greg Yamamoto | SL Greg Yamamoto | SL


Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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