Power, persistent bats lead Mililani to third straight HHSAA D1 softball state crown

HONOLULU – The Trojans have morphed Millville into “Title Town” – three times in a row.

For the third consecutive year, the Mililani softball team saw themselves standing alone atop the Hawai’i high school softball ranks on as the Trojans dispatched Moanalua (16-4, 9-1 league) in the 2026 DataHouse/HHSAA Division I softball championship game on Friday night, 9-3.

The state championship three-peat placed Mililani into rare air, joining Kailua and Campbell as the only high school programs to win three straight crowns at the HHSAA Division I level. The Surfriders tallied a trio of titles on the softball diamond from 1981-1983 and again from 1995-1997 before the Sabers joined the illustrious club with a mini-dynasty from 2015-2017.

Star junior Hinano Bautista (9-0) picked up the win for Mililani (16-1, 10-0 league) after 5.0 innings of work, allowing three runs (1 ER) on seven hits and two walks while striking out four Na Menehune batters after getting the start for the Trojans.

Fellow junior hurler Taylor Adriano closed out the victory for the defending state champions, spinning 2.0 innings of scoreless softball in relief while allowing two total baserunners (one walk, one HBP).

Moanalua, who was playing for the first softball state title in school history after never advancing to the final day of a season before, struck first on Friday inside Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on the campus of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa as Alia Anzai smacked an RBI single to give a 1-0 lead to Na Menehune after half a frame.

The battle-tested Trojans didn’t flinch despite Moanalua drawing first blood, striking back in the bottom half of the first with a massive two-run homer from Bautista that put Mililani ahead for the rest of the night.

Aubri Nakashima added on in the bottom of the third for Mililani, lifting a two-run single that scored Bautista and Kahiau Aina before coming home two batters later on a single from Kaylie Kihara to make it a 5-1 cushion for the Trojans after three innings.

Bautista added her third and final RBI of the night in the bottom of the fourth with a single to right, helping the junior earn Most Outstanding Player honors for the tournament after racking up four HRs and 12 RBI over the four-game title run by the Trojans.

Hinano Bautista celebrates running the bases during the 2026 DataHouse/HHSAA Division I softball state championship game. | Photo Credit: CJ Caraang

Nakashima picked up her second RBI of the championship game on a sac fly and Lana Nakayama brought home Kamryn Aoki to give an 8-1 advantage to Mililani in the fourth.

Moanalua rallied a bit in the top of the fifth, getting two runs back on an RBI single to center from Ava Atagi, but Na Menehune could not climb any closer.

Bautista scored one last insurance run for Mililani in the bottom of the sixth, putting a bow on the Trojans third title in a row and sixth overall D1 state softball crown.

Sophomore standout pitcher Kaylah Sato was tabbed with the loss for Moanalua, allowing five earned runs in 3.0 innings of action as she gave up six hits and walked a pair of Mililani batters. Na Menehune, who started only two seniors, picked up valuable experience for a crew that could see more than two-thirds of the starting lineup returning next season.

Mililani, who suffered a surprising upset against Campbell in the OIA semifinal, bounced back with four consecutive victories in the state tournament with impressive victories over Lahainaluna, Maryknoll and Kapaa before dispatching Moanalua on Friday night. The Trojans, who return Bautista and a few other major contributors from this year’s title team, will look to become the first program in Hawai’i high school softball history to win four straight state championships next year.