Kim, Togami lift Mililani past Campbell, 1-0

Mililani pitcher Aubree Kim throws a strike to the plate against Campbell. Greg Yamamoto | SL

WAIPIO - Mililani's Keri Togami got the clutch hit with a runner in scoring position that Campbell could not get in five of seven opportunities.

The sophomore left-handed hitting right fielder drilled a 2-2 pitch down the left-field line for a single with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning to score Kylyn Sasaki from second base in the Trojans' 1-0 win against the Sabers Friday night in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red tournament semifinal at the Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.

The win sends the Trojans (11-3), fifth in the ScoringLive/OC 16 Power Rankings, to Saturday's title game for the first time since 2010, when they won their third crown in as many seasons with a 20-2 win against Castle. They will face No. 9 Wai'anae, which last appeared in the title game in 2000, losing to Mililani, 2-1. The Seariders are seeking their first crown since 1983, when they beat Kailua, 1-0. Mililani is seeking its ninth title.

The No. 8 Sabers (11-4), OIA Red champions the past three years, will play at No. 4 Moanalua for third place, 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Campbell left seven runners in scoring position in five of the seven innings.

Sophomores Aubree Kim of Mililani and Elisa Favela of Campbell engaged in a classic pitchers' duel that ended with a bit of irony.

Kim (10-1) allowed four hits, but walked six and hit a batter, Yet, all 11 base runners were left stranded because some of Kim's 13 strikeouts came in crucial moments. She struck out Campbell's cleanup hitter, Favela, twice with fewer than two out. The first time was in the third inning with runners at second and third and the latter in the seventh with the bases loaded.

Yet, Favela (11-4), who also gave up four hits, walked one - Sasaki - who was cashed in for the only run of the game.

"You know, she amazing," Mililani coach Rose Antonio said of Kim. "After the first inning, when (it rained), she adjusted really well. I'm very proud of her for doing that."

The game began with blustery conditions with rain blowing from left field toward the first-base side. The rain seemed to bother Kim, who walked Sabers' lead-off batter Cydney Curran on four pitches to start the game.

"I think the rain got to me because I'm not really used to it," Kim said. "I tried to not let it bother me and stopped thinking about it."

The Sabers, who scored a combined 28 runs in their first two tournament games, were neutralized by Kim's off-speed pitches.

With two out in the bottom of the seventh, Sasaki drew a walk, took second on a wild pitch on a 1-2 count and scored on the next pitch that Togami lined down the left-field line.

"I knew for sure I had to score her," Togami said. "The runner was in scoring position and I just needed to do my job."

Togami had bounced out to the pitcher and struck out her previous to at-bats. She sliced an outside pitch to the opposite field for the game-winning hit.

"My timing was really off," she said. "I told myself to relax. My coach told me I should try and slash, so I could get the timing better.

It was the bottom of the order that provided the offense. Sasaki, who batted eighth, broke a string of seven consecutive batters that Favela has retired before drawing the walk. The wild pitch that sent her to second was in the dirt and scooted through the legs of catcher Kiana Ulufale.

"The last couple games, they've been coming through for us," Antonio said of the bottom of the batting order. "That's huge for a team, the bottom."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].