Moanalua Nā Menehune rush to embrace pitcher Kaylah Sato after securing the final out against Campbell in the Data House/HHSAA Division I State Championship semifinals at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. CJ Caraang | SL

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[email protected] - CJ Caraang | SL

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MANOA - Unlike the fairy tale Cinderella, Moanalua's softball team got an extension.

It was minutes after midnight when center fielder Koiau Ledward caught Kaira Sakai's flyball for the final out in Na Menehune's 13-7 win against second-seeded Campbell in the semifinals of the DataHouse Division I state softball tournament early Friday morning at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Moanalua will see if the glass cleats fit after riding its carriage into Friday night's championship against two-time defending state champion Mililani.

Mililani and Moanalua (the M&Ms) were unseeded entering the tournament. Mililani beat Moanalua ,6-0, in the OIA tournament for third place. Na Menehune are making their first title-game appearance, and are the first representative from the OIA East in the championship game since Castle lost to Mid-Pacific in 2011, to get to the dance. The tournament has been dominated by the OIA West in recent decades - largely due to the Trojans, who are trying for their third consecutive crown and becoming the first team to do so since Campbell did it from 2015-2017. Kailua did it twice - 1981-1983 and 1995-1997. The storied Trojans are seeking their sixth overall crown, four have come under coach Rose Antonio.

Moanalua trailed early, but scored nine runs in the final two innings to hold off the Sabers, yet another West team to enjoy recent success in state tournaments, having won five titles.

"Their fight, just not giving up," Moanalua coach Kylee Oshiro said of her team's tenacity. "Campbell's a great team, right? They're going to continue to hit the ball. We made some mistakes early on, and we never gave up."

Trailing 5-4 entering the top of the sixth inning, the ubiquitous Kaylah Sato, who started at shortstop, moved to third base, and eventually closed the game for a save, led off with a double to left-center off Sabers' starting pitcher Kaienna Fuentes-Arellano Alia Anzai's single scored Sato to tie the game at 5, chasing Fuentes-Arellano for  Lily Perreira. After Anzai stole third, Raean Bumagat walked and stole second. Ava Atagi grounded out to third, freezing the runners. then Ledward hit a grounder near the foul line to baseman Taylor Mendoza, who did not field the ball cleanly and still managed to get a throw off to first, but the bobble was enough to allow Ledward to reach on the fielder's choice. Anzai at third, broke for the plate, drawing a throw from first baseman Sophia Alo, but the speedy Anzai made it back to third to load the bases with one out. Shayne Kunimura lined a single to center to score Anzai for the go-ahead run. Jayci Taura, the No. 9 hitter, followed with an RBI single. The bottom two batters in the order were a combined 6 for 10, scoring four runs and driving in four. A sacrifice fly by Jolie-Ann Mochizuki capped the scoring as Moanalua took a 9-5 lead.

The OIA champion Sabers pulled to within two on Fuentes-Arellano's two-run home run to left off third relief pitcher Taura. Sato came in to settle the rest of the game. She pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hit and three walks with two strikeouts to save it for winning pitcher Mochizuki. Na Menehune insured their lead with four unearned runs in the seventh on three errors.

"It felt good," Sato said of her relief stint. "I just had to pound the zone and let them hit and trust my defense."

Unlike Moanalua, there would be no storybook ending for Kapaa, making its Division I tournament debut after winning back-to-back D2 crowns. The Trojans continued to power up in a 12-6 win. Trailing 4-3, Kahiau Aina's three-run home run, a liner to center that barely cleared the wall to put the Trojans ahead, ignited an eight-run sixth giving them an 11-4 lead.

"It felt super good," Aina said of her blast. "The girls were there for me, and I really needed it."

Aina said she thought the ball was going to hit the upper part of the ball and bounce back into the field. Aina finished 3 for 5 with two stolen bases.

"Kahiau, she came through," Trojans' coach Antonio said.

Trojans' starter Hinano Bautista, coming off a complete-game quarterfinal win, turned in six strong innings, allowing four runs, while scattering seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Taylor Adriano allowed a run in her one inning of work. She also batted 2 for 4, including a two-run homer to right, her third bomb in two days.

The Warriors might be new to Division I, but it seems everyone knew of them because they would play in preseason tournaments that featured the usual suspects who end up playing for league or state titles. Kapaa is a regular at Mililani's preseason tournament.

"They're a very good team, very balanced team,"  Antonio said  "They have a good program all the way around."

Kapaa will play Campbell for third place, 6 p.m. Friday at McKinley.