Game 3 of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball State Championships in Division I pits MIL runner-up Maui (10-5) against OIA third-place Mililani (8-7). The Sabers took defending state champion Baldwin to a deciding third game in the MIL playoffs while the Trojans finished runner-up in the state tournament in both 2013 and ’14.
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Maui Sabers (10-5)
Head coach: Chase Corniel (5th year, 55‐26‐1)
Tournament history: 28th appearance (29‐43‐2, 1 title)
Honolulu Star-Advertiser ranking: No. 9
Mililani Trojans (8-7)
Head coach: Mark Hirayama (9th year, 96‐62‐1)
Tournament history: 21st appearance (28‐31‐3)
Honolulu Star-Advertiser ranking: No votes
LINEUPS
Mililani Trojans
Noah Domogsac, 2B
Bryson Arakaki, RF
Korrey Siracusa, 1B
Taylor Inouye, DH
>> Shane Griffin, P
Thomas Nakatsukasa, C
Bryce Yonemori, SS
Preston Morales, CF
Austin Dela Cruz, RF
Zach Lafata, 3B
Maui Sabers
Micah Jio, CF
Bryant Nakagawa, C
Kao Mindoro, 2B
Waylon Golis-Bacos, 3B
Mikito Barkman, 1B
Orrion Suda, LF
Kaipo Paschoal, DH
>> Kolten Texeira
Treston Carter, P
Jyrah Lalim, SS
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Maui 12, Mililani 2
Maui (11-5) advances to play the top seed Saint Louis on Thursday at 7 p.m.
BOTTOM 5
6-3 senior right-hander Seth Thomas in to pitch for Mililani. The Trojans make their fifth error allowing Lalim to reach second on a grounder to third. Nakagawa blasts an RBI triple over the head of the right fielder with two outs to drive in a run. Sabers lead 11-2 and are 90 feet from ending this game. Aidan Vigneux running for Nakagawa and Mindoro singles off the glove of the first baseman to drive in the clinching run and it’s over. Maui 10-run rules Mililani 12-2 in five innings.
TOP 5
Carter works around a two-out single by Arakaki to retire the side. 88 pitches means Carter is ineligible until Saturday.
BOTTOM 4
Clean bottom of the fourth for Mayeshiro, who hits the leadoff batter but leaves him at second.
TOP 4
Yonemori draws a leadoff walk but Nakagawa hoses him at second on a steal attempt. Carter now up to 73 pitches so he’ll sit out at least the next two days.
BOTTOM 3
Second straight inning a Maui batter is hit to start the inning. Golis-Bacos can’t get a bunt down but it works out as Mindoro goes to second on a wild pitch and then Golis-Bacos singles to right to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Pitching change for Mililani. Cole Mayeshiro into the game. Barkman drops the squeeze bunt to bring in one run. Paschoal with a single and a second error by the CF allows Maui’s sixth run to score. Bases loaded after a Carter single and Jyrah Lalim brings them all home. Double finds the left-field line and all three runners score to make it 9-2. Jio with a grounder to short and Yonemori sails the throw into the visiting dugout. Four errors by Mililani and it’s 10-2 Sabers. Maui bats around as Mindoro is up again after getting hit to start the inning. Mayeshiro gets the strikeout looking to finally end it. Sabers score six in the inning.
TOP 3
Arakaki with a one-out single up the middle off Mindoro’s glove at second and Siracusa draws a walk. Nakatsukasa with a two-out soft liner to second and Carter gets out of it.
BOTTOM 2
Maui in business again as Suda is hit by the first pitch and then Paschoal fakes a bunt and slashes a single past the drawn-in third baseman. First and second with nobody out. Carter falls behind 0-2 after trying a bunt but golfs a pitch low and inside into right field for a single and the bases are loaded, still nobody out. Griffin gets Lalim to hit into the 6-4-3 double play and Mililani will take it although Maui ties the game at 2-2 on the play. Jio rips a two-out single up the middle to score one and the ball gets past Morales. Jio can fly and he’s all the way around the bases. A three-base error and it’s 4-2 Sabers.
TOP 2
Yonemori with a leadoff single and he’s bunted to second. Carter gets a pop out to second for an out. Maui’s Lalim has to go into shallow center from his shortstop position to make the catch for the third out.
BOTTOM 1
Jio starts out by ripping a 2-2 pitch into right field for a base hit. Next pitch is a hit-and-run executed to perfection as Nakagawa hits it where the shortstop left. Jio takes third and on the throw that gets away from third, Nakagawa goes to second. Mindoro with the RBI groundout but Griffin limits the damage.
TOP 1
Noah Domogsac leads off with a double that falls in right-center on a 3-2 pitch from Maui starter Treston Carter. After a bunt and a walk, Carter gets a strikeout for the second out. With Domogsac on third, Siracusa takes off for second. Nakagawa tries to throw out Siracusa at second but the ball goes off the glove into center field and Domogsac scores from third. Thomas Nakatsukasa follows with a two-out RBI single and Trojans lead 2-0 early.
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