Mililani starter Aubree Kim throws a pitch to plate against Kaiser. She tossed a season-high 16 strikeouts in the Trojans' victory. Michael Lasquero | SL

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MANOA – No. 3 Mililani found itself in unfamiliar territory in the opening-round of the DataHouse Division I state softball tournament Tuesday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Yet, the Trojans still found familiar result, a 6-3 win against Kaiser to advance to Wednesday's quarterfinals against third-seeded Maui. Game time is 12:15 p.m.

"This is the first time we have to start with the first game," winning pitcher Aubree Kim said. "We usually have the first-round bye, but it's a really good win."

The Trojans were Oahu Interscholastic Association champions in 2014 and 2015, thus drawing first-round byes in each. They entered this tournament as OIA runners-up.

Kim, a senior right-handed pitcher and fixture in state tournaments since her freshman year, turned in an unfamiliar performance. She stuck out a season-high 16, five more than her previous high on April 21 against Leilehua. Even she was surprised.

"Are you sure?" when told of her 16 Ks.

What was familiar about her outing was her high pitch count: 157. She walked five, but struck out one Mules four times and three others three times each. After eventful first and second innings, when she allowed three runs, Kim settled the Cougars, who were left scoreless the rest of the way.

"She does that," Mililani coach Rose Antonio said. "As the game progresses, she gets better."

Keri Togami and Markie Okamoto paced the Trojans' offense with three hits each. Togami had two doubles and Okamoto one.

Kaiser starter Seli Aholelei was tagged for six runs (four earned), 11 hits and six walks with four strikeouts.

Kim threw 157 pitches in her complete-game win, but that's been her method of operation throughout her career. She hit a batter, had a wild pitch, walked a batter and allowed two singles in the Trojans' two-run first inning. She walked two batters, hit another and allowed an RBI single in the second inning. She had thrown 58 pitches to that point, but her team only trailed by one because the Cougars were able to chip single runs in the first and second inning against Aholelei.

The Trojans took the lead for good in a two-run fourth when they scored on a wild pitch and later an RBI single by Kristen Ishii. Add-on runs in the fifth and sixth cushioned the lead for Kim.

"We put the ball in play," Antonio said. "That's all that you can ask for. We needed to generate runs. We haven't done that all season."

The Cougars had their opportunities, but just couldn't pull the trigger long enough to sustain big innings because Kim was like an escape artist.

"She just gets stronger as the game goes by," Kaiser coach Mitch Matsumoto said. "I don't know why."

Along with wins by Pearl City (8-4 over Iolani), Campbell (15-0 over Kealakehe) and Leilehua (4-0 over Lahainaluna), the OIA West made a complete sweep of the opening round. All five West teams will be in Wednesday's quarterfinals, but one of them – Leilehua – has to play top-seeded Kapolei.