FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Kapolei's Austi Paris tried to tag out Pearl City's Moki Opunui, who was safe at second base.

Mililani, Kapolei
in final

Mililani freshman Makani Duhaylonsod proved that she is a rookie no more, as she exhibited veteran poise in leading the Trojans into tomorrow's HHSAA/Data House State Softball Championships Division I title game at 8 p.m. against Kapolei, the Trojans' Oahu Interscholastic Association West rival.

The 5-foot-11 right-hander went the distance to earn the win, allowing a run on nine hits to hold off 2003 state champion Kailua 2-1 in the evening's second Division I semifinal. Kapolei beat Pearl City 8-3 in the first semifinal.

"I was mostly going inside and outside with my pitches," Duhaylonsod said. "My changes were working pretty well until I stopped getting the call. I started having to throw my fastballs over the plate more, but I love our defense."

Mililani wasted little time getting the first run of the game, taking advantage of a throwing error on an infield single by Casey Sugihara to pose the game's first scoring chance in the bottom of the first inning.

Sugihara dropped a perfectly placed bunt down the third-base line and had the throw from the third baseman beat. The throw eluded Kailua first baseman Meghann Pasion and squirted along the fence into right field, allowing Sugihara to advance to third base.

Trojan first baseman Dana Lee followed and sent a deep fly ball into right field to score Sugihara on a sacrifice fly.

Kailua ace Courtney Kessell quickly found a rhythm, retiring 12 of the first 14 batters she faced.

The Surfriders evened the score in the top of the sixth, when Erin Guerrero laced a single into left-center field to score Kalina Kama, who had singled to start the inning.

FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Kailua's Erin Guerrero was tagged out by Mililani catcher Skye Virtudes in the second inning of last night's game.

Brittany Tokunaga sacrificed Kama to second, before a wild pitch by Duhaylonsod advanced her to third.

Mililani responded quickly with the go-ahead run in the bottom half of the frame, when Lee drilled a ringing double off the left-center-field fence to score Ciera Senas from second. Senas led off the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single, and promptly stole second base to position herself for Lee's one-out RBI.

"I was thinking of going to the right side," Lee said. "But she came inside hard and it was pretty straight, so I hit it hard."

Kessell, who had been suffering from an injured left leg for some time, asked to be removed following Lee's double and was replaced by Krista Dumandan, who worked out of the inning without allowing another run.

"We'd like to win, but the game doesn't mean everything," said Kailua coach Bernard Victor in reference to Kessell's injury. "It was her choice to go as long as she could."

Kailua loaded the bases with two out in the top of the seventh, after Duhaylonsod issued a full-count walk to Tokunaga.

But Natasha Fabinal-Duarte's hard grounder was smothered by Mililani shortstop Kimberly Goo, who collected the ball and fired to first for the final out.

"This is amazing," Lee said. "I want it for our seniors, we have five of them. In the OIAs we didn't do so well, so I'm glad we get to play Kapolei again."

Kapolei 8, Pearl City 3

With top gun Tajia Acierto gutting out a cold to deliver yet another big win and Jasmin Yoro delivering four RBIs, the Hurricanes were able to jump ahead of Pearl City in the early going.

"Jasmin came through with the big hits for us tonight," Kapolei coach Tony Saffery said. "Having Austi (Paris) in the three spot and Jaz next makes that part of the lineup really strong and they have always come up big for us."

Yoro came through in the bottom of the first, giving Kapolei the early lead with a two-run double to right-center field. After Sheryl Robinol and Tricia Warashina walked to open the inning, Paris popped up to short for the first out to bring Yoro to the plate.

Pearl City starter Marina Gusman-Brown struggled with her command again in the second, issuing three walks as Kapolei scored another run.

Kapolei used four base hits and a Pearl City error to rally for five runs in the bottom of the fourth. Yoro again provided the big hit when she dropped a two-run single into right-center to help the Hurricanes take an 8-0 advantage.

Despite collecting six hits through the first four innings, Pearl City was unable to capitalize, stranding eight baserunners before Krytal Plunkett's leadoff homer to center finally got the Chargers on the board in the top of the fifth.

Reigning State Player of the Year Acierto improved to 14-4 by scattering 10 hits in earning the complete-game win.

"My screwball inside and my rises were working well," said Acierto. "I felt more comfortable once we scored in the first inning."