Mililani players celebrate after defeating Leilehua, 5-4, to reach the OIA Red title game. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Mililani's Troy Kakugawa struck out the final two batters in the top of the seventh to preserve the win against Leilehua. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Leilehua's Ian Kaopua lays out to attempt a catch in the outfield against Mililani. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Mililani's Jensen Kim connected with the pitch for a three-run double against Leilehua. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Mililani held off a furious Leilehua rally in the bottom of the seventh inning to preserve a 5-4 win, punching a ticket to the OIA Red Championship game.

The victory was the first over Leilehua this season for Mililani, as the Mules swept the Trojans in the regular season, 3-0 on March 8th and 9-6 on April 3rd.

Mililani scored all of their runs in the bottom of the second inning, set off by a Travis Maekawa's RBI single that brought in Ekolu Ramos for the first run.

Maekawa added another run two batters later off of a bases-loaded walk, setting the stage for Jensen Kim.

Kim laced a sharp liner to right field that brought in Kanoa Wong, Troy Kakugawa and Landon Ogomori, spotting the Trojans an early 5-0 lead.

"I was happy to get the opportunity when the bases were loaded and I made the most of it. At the beginning of the season I was a pinch hitter and I got hot and was moved to DH. During the postseason we have been jelling and coming together as a team. Our pitchers are getting their work in and we have been scoring runs," said Jensen Kim.

"We have been hitting the ball and talked about cashing in when we get runners on base, Jensen has been doing well for us. We put five in one inning and sat on it. I told these guys that Leilehua is not going away and they battled all the way to the end. We were able to control things and walk away with a victory," said Mililani coach Mark Hirayama.

Leilehua answered back in the top of the third inning with two runs courtesy of Nainoa Paragoso and Ricky Van Gelder.

In the top of the seventh inning, Leilehua rallied to within 1 run, as Paragoso got on base after being hit by a pitch and then came home on when Cody Academia blasted a deep shot for an RBI triple to trim the margin to just 2.

Then Trey Yukumoto hit a grounder past first base and to score Academia making it 5-4. But the Mules wold get no closer, as Kakugawa buckled down and struck out Ian Kaopua and Jonah Paas in succession to end the game.

Mililani will play the Campbell, a 3-0 winner over Kailua, in the Red title game to be televised on OC16 following the 3:00 p.m. OIA White Championship game between Waianae and Radford.

"This postseason has been great for us and we are trying to ride this momentum into states. This is what we work for during the offseason and in season and we want to be in this moment," said Kim.