Mililani's Mackenzie Kila (11) is swarmed by her teammates at home after she plated the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning. Brandon Ching | SL

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KAKAAKO—A pair of home runs and stellar defense made the difference in No. 1 Mililani's 3-1 win over No. 3 Campbell at McKinley's Tiger Softball Stadium Tuesday.

After dropping their season-opener to Kapolei (7-2), the Trojans rattled off eight-straight wins to improve to 8-1 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association West Division standings.

The Sabers dropped to 4-5 and fourth place in the league standings.

Ashley Ogata went 1 for 3 at the plate with a solo home run and went the distance in the circle, scattering four hits, and striking out four to get the win.

"My curve balls were mainly working. I was keeping the balls on the outside of the plate," Ogata said.

Taryn Irimata posted her fourth double-digit strikeout performance with 11 strikeouts, walked one, but the all three Trojan runs were earned in the loss.

The Sabers scored the first run of the game in the third inning. Aleiah Kupihea hit a single to right for the game's first hit, then moved over to second on Joy Freitas' sacrifice bunt. Ogata walked Cairah Curran and Paige Nakashima followed up with a two-out single to center to bring in Kupihea for Campbell's only run of the game.

Irimata was impenetrable as she struck out seven batters and forced three pop outs and a fly out in the first four innings. Of the 89 pitches thrown, 65 went for strikes.

In their 5-3 win over Campbell on Mar. 29, the Trojans did not face Irimata and it took some time for the Mililani batters to adjust.

"We were nervous since we haven't faced her since COVID. After we went around a couple times, we saw what she was pitching," Kila said of the adjustments.

Jackie Kirkpatrick and Kaui Garcia each flew out to short and third respectively. Ogata broke up Irimata's no-hitter with a solo home run deep to left field to tie up the game at 1 in the fifth inning.

"It felt good. I'm a PO, POs usually don't bat. But coach Rose (Antonio) is letting us bat. So it's nice to help my team out," Ogata said.

Kupihea led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to center and Freitas moved her over to third with a ground out to first. Taryn Hirano fielded Curran's grounder and threw it to home to Kirkpatrick to tag out Kupihea at the plate.

"It was huge, momentum is a big thing. Getting that out, we needed that," Ogata said.

Curran was caught stealing second after Kirkpatrick fired it to Kila for the third out.

"Our defense played really good today. Honestly our defense was on fire and did a good play when they were supposed to and I'm so proud of them tonight," Kila said.

Irimata struck out Dani Monroe to open the sixth inning, but Hirano followed up with a line drive single. Cierra Yamamoto popped out to Curran for the second out. Kila took ball one and on the second offering, launched her two-out, two-run shot to center field to put Mililani up, 3-1. Irimata ended the inning by striking out Kolbi Kochi.

"After my pop out and strike out, all I thought about getting a single and get on base so we can score the run and get ahead. During that pitch, I was thinking outside, because that's what she was throwing me, outside rise, I swung and it went," Kila said of the home run.

Nakashima and Leia Duropan popped and flew out for the first two outs. Lorraine Alo doubled to right field to give the Sabers life momentarily, but Ogata ended the threat to strike out Jaeda Abcde.

Kirkpatrick doubled to lead off the seventh, but Campbell got the next three outs to give themselves a final chance.

Kaylisa Nakoa's first pitch offering went to Yamamoto for the first out and Ogata followed up by striking out Kong. Yamamoto snagged Kupihea's hit to end the game.

"My defense is amazing. No errors tonight. I'm proud of them," Ogata said.

Mililani takes on No. 6 Leilehua on Apr. 21 to close out the regular season. The Trojans walloped the Mules earlier two weeks ago, 13-1 in five innings.

Campbell looks to rebound to face Pearl City on the same afternoon. The Sabers edged the Chargers in the first matchup, 2-1 two weeks ago.