Hirayama's pitching gem helps propel Mililani over Kaiser

Greg Yamamoto | SL

The Trojans are streaking.

Kai Hirayama threw a complete game, one-hit shuout and Malosi Mataafa-Alferos added a 3 for 4 day at the plate, as Mililani extended its winning streak to four games with a 3-0 win on the road over East second-seed Kaiser in the OIA Division I quarterfinals.

"I think we're stepping it up and playing more as a team," said Hirayama of the win.

It was about as efficient a day on the mound as one could hope for, as Hirayama needed just 84 pitches to record 21 outs. He walked none and struck out four.

"Everything was kind of working," said Hirayama. "Fastball, changeup mostly, slider here and there."

The only hit in the game for the Cougars was off the bat of Kanoa Morisaki, the starting pitcher opposite Hirayama, who had quite an outing at the mound himself, allowing just three runs in 6 1/3 innings of work. He was nearly as efficient as well, with just 85 pitches thrown with seven hits allowed, one strikeout and zero walks.

Of those seven hits, three of them came off the bat of Malosi Mataafa-Alferos, as did two of the three runs plated. He also drove in the other run scored for good measure.

"I felt good (hitting the ball) but Kai shut em down offensively," said Mataafa-Alferos. "He got the energy started and it went from there."

The win over the Cougars assures the Trojans of a berth into next week's HHSAA Division I state tournament as well as a spot in the league semifinals, where they will face off against a familiar foe in the Sabers, who needed late game heroics to edge Pearl City, 6-5.

Campbell, the top seed in the West, has beaten Mililani in both meetings this season, the latest a 5-2 defeat back on April 5.

The two teams will play on Thursday, April 27, one day later than teams that did not taste victory in the quarterfinals, as the fifth place semis are set to resume play on Wednesday.

"It feels super good (to win). And one day of rest, one extra day of rest," Hirayama added.