Mid-Pacific overcame a slightly uncharacteristic outing from starting pitcher Keiki Carlos, manufacturing just enough offense to come away with a 5-4 win over upset-minded Wai'anae and secure a spot in the semifinals of the DataHouse Division I State Softball Championships at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

"We gotta expect that (a close game)... I tip my cap to them (Wai'anae) for battling, but our girls found ways to win this game." said Mid-Pacific head coach Willie Quinn.

As expected the Owls would jump out to an early lead, but the offense would come from a rather unexpected source, as Kylie Oeda would launch a home run over the left field fence, her first round trip around the basepaths this season.

"I was just trying to relax and just see the ball, hit the ball, that's it." said Oeda of her solo shot in the bottom of the first.

The one-run cushion would only hold for so long, and in the top of the fourth, Wai'anae would load the bases, then push a run across on a bunt by Sanoe Hamilton that would score pinch-runner Kelcey-Ann Taniguchi from third to tie the score up at one.

Mid-Pacific would take the lead in the bottom of the fourth, only to see Wai'anae respond in the top of the next frame with a run of their own to knot the score up again.

Then in the fifth, the Owls would lead off the inning with a Karis Kochi walk, followed by a bunt single by Kacy Aoki to put runners on first and second with no outs. Tasi Docktor would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up, and pinch runner Jenna Kumabe would come home on a wild pitch to Carlos, the next batter.

Following a Carlos ground out, catcher Nicole Lopez would loft a single to center to score Aoki, and stretch the lead out to 4-2.

The Owls would manufacture yet another run in the last of the sixth, as Jordan Joy would reach first on a booted ball, then would steal second a few pitches later. She would then proceed to steal third base, coming home for an all-important insurance run on an errant pick-off throw to third.

The run scored by Joy would be very important indeed, as Wai'anae would capitalize on consecutive walks by Carlos, using some nifty baserunning to bring in a run in from second off of deep fly in foul territory by Kulia Kaluhiokalani that was caught by a diving Kochi.

Wai'anae would make it a one-run game as Tiani Hensley would come home from third on a fielder's choice, but Carlos would force a routine grounder back to the circle to end it.

Carlos would go the distance and pitched well, but did not really have her best stuff today, surrendering 4 runs on 4 hits, striking out six, but also walking six.

"I don't even know if the (first-round) bye helped us today... hopefully we come back better tomorrow after getting a game under our belt, and we'll be a little more sharp." added Quinn.

Next up for Mid-Pacific is a date with Kapolei, a runaway winner over Hilo, 14-0 in five innings, in an earlier quarterfinal. First pitch is set for the semifinal is approximately 7:00 p.m., back at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

SL intern Brandon Ching contributed to this story.

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