By Barry Villamil
Photos by Barry Villamil
Mililani starting pitcher Kayden Suma led the Trojans from the hill over Pearl City 13-2 in the 2024 Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division I Baseball regular season opener played last night at Central Oahu Regional Park in Waipio. Suma pitched four complete innings allowing 1 run, 3 hits with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks. Kole Maeda closed out the ball game in top of the 5th inning in relief of Suma where the game ended due to the 10-run rule. Maeda allowed 1 run, 2 hits, with no strikeouts.
Pearl City pitching struggled in the shortened ball game sending 5 pitchers to the hill in four innings against the potent Trojan battery. Charger starting pitcher Kelan Young took the loss in one inning of work allowing 3 runs, 1 hit, and no strikeouts.
Mililani exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a commanding 12-run lead over the Chargers at 13-1. Pearl City scored their final run of the contest in the top of the fifth inning where the game ended at 13-2 due to the 10-run rule. The Trojans outhit the Chargers 9-5 behind solid performances at the plate highlighted by an inside the park home run by Malosi Mataafa-Alferos who also batted 2-3 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored. Aukai Araujo-Waiau shined at the plate for the Trojans hitting 2-3 with a triple, 3 RBI and 1 run scored.
Pearl City’s Ethan Higashionna led the Chargers at the plate hitting 2-3 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored.
Leading Hitters:
Pearl City – Ethan Higashionna 2-3, RBI, run scored; Logan Honma 3-1, double; Jace Nods 1-1, RBI; Caleb Felix 1-1
Mililani – Malosi Mataafa-Alferos 2-3, HR, 3 RBI, 3 runs scored; Brayden Suehisa 2-4, 2 runs scored; Jonah Parker 2-4 RBI, run scored; Aukai Araujo-Waiau 2-3, triple, 3 RBI, run scored; Taye Marxen 1-1, RBI, run scored
Next up:
Pearl City and Mililani return to league play on Saturday, March 9
Mililani @ Campbell – 3:00pm
Pearl City @ Aiea – 3:00pm
GO CHARGERS!
Pictured: Mililani winning pitcher Kayden Suma
Photo by Barry Villamil | MyPearlCity.com
