Kirsty Imai pitched a complete game and stranded 10 runners yesterday to help Waiakea defeat Sacred Hearts, 7-2, and become the first Big Island team to advance to the Data House Softball Championship semifinals since 2003.

The No. 4 seed and Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Warriors improved to 12-0 in the regular and postseason and will face No. 1 seed and O'ahu Interscholastic Association champ Mililani (15-1) in today's 5 p.m. semifinal at Rainbow Wahine Stadium.

The game — Waiakea's first semifinal appearance in five years and only the second for a BIIF team since 2000 — will be televised live statewide on OC16.

"When we entered the Mililani tournament (in February), I think we got to show we can compete against the O'ahu teams," Warriors coach Bo Saiki said. "We went 3-5, but a couple games could have gone the other way and we could have been 5-3. We still went 8-5 in the preseason."

Waiakea immediately showed it was ready for prime time yesterday, taking a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on five hits and an error. The Warriors capitalized on two more errors in the second to make it 4-0.

The Lancers (10-6) scored two runs in the fourth on three hits, including Ronalyn Timbreza's RBI single, to cut the deficit in half. But Waiakea took advantage of two more errors in the fifth to make it 5-2, then added two runs on three hits in the sixth to stretch it to 7-2.

Meanwhile, Imai bent but did not break on the mound. Sacred Hearts got its leadoff batter aboard in each of the final three innings, only to see them stranded in scoring position by inning's end. Imai, a senior right-hander, finished with only one strikeout and allowed seven hits, but she stranded a Lancer in every inning except the first.

"Kirsty tends to relax a little when she has the lead," Saiki said. "Then when she has to buckle down, she can."

SAC. HEARTS (10-6) 000 200 0—2 7 5

WAIAKEA (12-0) 310 012 X—7 13 2

Joslyn Eugenio, Corry Abellanida (6) and Chelsea Kamai. Kirsty Imai and Kiah-Lee Taroma. W — Kirsty Imai. L — Eugenio.

Leading hitters — Sacred Hearts: Raecha Kauahikaua 2-3; Laura Abellanida double. Waiakea: Kirsty Imai 2-4, 2 runs; Chrislyn Hashimoto 2-4; Kira De Morales 3-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Alana Tsue 2-3; Kamie Imai 2 RBIs.MILILANI 20, MARYKNOLL 1

Courtney Senas went 4 for 4 with two three-run homers and eight RBIs as top-seeded Mililani trounced Maryknoll, 20-1, in a quarterfinal of the Data House/HHSAA Softball Division I Championships yesterday.

The Trojans (15-1) scored 11 runs in the third inning to cruise past the Spartans (9-7) in a game halted after 4 1/2 innings at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Senas, a sophomore shortstop and 2007 Advertiser All-State first-team selection, slammed her first home run over the fence in right-center field with no outs in the bottom of the first inning after Kristi Oshiro led off with a walk and Chanelle Senas followed with a single.

Senas' second home run came with two outs in the second, over the fence in right field to make it 6-0.

Celina Garces added three hits and six RBIs for the Trojans, who made it 17-0 in the third after scoring 11 runs on 11 hits.

MARYKNOLL (9-7) 00 0 10— 1 2 2

MILILANI (15-1) 33(11) 3X—20 22 0

Alyssa Nada, Shay Shibata (4), Kimberly Okaneku (4), Hillary Uekawa (4) and Okaneku, Kori Nishitomi. Makani Duhaylonsod, Kylee Rodrigues (4) and Rebecca Lee. W — Duhaylonsod. L — Nada.

Leading hitters — Mililani: Kristi Oshiro 2 runs; Chanelle Senas 2-4, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Courtney Senas 4-4, double, 2 homers, 4 runs, 8 RBIs; Glenelle Nitta 3-3, 2 runs; Jaimee Aiwohi 3-4, double, 2 runs; Celina Garces 3-4, double, 6 RBIs; Rebecca Lee 3-3, 2 RBIs.

CAMPBELL 4, BALDWIN 1

Bre Patton pitched a four-hitter with six strikeouts and one walk and the Sabers (13-4) scored all their runs in the bottom of the third inning to deny the defending state champion Bears (15-4).

Third-seeded Baldwin — the Maui Interscholastic League champion — took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning after Malia Killam led off with a walk, took second on Shawnte Ka'alakea's sacrifice bunt and scored on Kili Awai's single to left field.

But the lead was short-lived.

Chanel Bali-Gaui hit a two-run double to center field with one out in the third, and Gerika Pantohan followed with a sacrifice fly to score Patton from third base to make it 3-1. Amber Kaulia then added a single to center to bring home Bali-Gaui.

Leading 4-1, Patton proceeded to give up only one hit over the final four innings and allowed only one runner to reach second base. She retired 12 of the final 14 batters she faced.

BALDWIN (15-4) 001 000 0—1 4 1

CAMPBELL (11-4) 004 000 X—4 6 0

Kaitlin Watanabe and Malia Killam. Breanne Patton and Shalin Yamaguchi. W — Patton. L — Watanabe.

Leading hitters — Campbell: Loreen Egdamin 3-3; Chanel Bali-Gaui double, 2 RBIs.

KAMEHAMEHA 1, MOANALUA 0

KAMEHAMEHA (14-1) 000 000 000 1—1 4 0

MOANALUA (14-3) 000 000 000 0—0 5 2

Amber Waracka and Pomaikai Kalakau. Sarah Robinson and Kylee Oshiro. W — Waracka. L — Robinson.

Leading hitters — Kamehameha: Shaleese Javillo double; Melissa Awa RBI; Leiana Naki-Kaonohi run. Moanalua: Oshiro double; Robinson 2-4.

CONSOLATION

WAIPAHU 6, CASTLE 4

Sina Nu'u and Angi Sakamoto each had two hits as the Marauders advanced to the seventh-place game against Kailua.

WAIPAHU (7-11) 000 321—6 5 1

CASTLE (11-7) 002 200—4 8 6

Esamartina Apo and Andrea Felise-La'a. Maycee Moe, Leisha Li'ili'i and Kelsea Berinobis. W — Apo. L — Moe.

Leading hitters — Waipahu: Sina Nu'u 2-3, double; Angi Sakamoto 2-3, double. Castle: Li'ili'i 2-3; Alana Abbey 2-3, homer, 2 runs, 2 RBIs.

LAHAINALUNA 5, KAILUA 5

The teams played to a tie, but Kailua advanced after prevailing in a tie-breaker.

LAHAINA (15-4-1) 000 013 10—5 13 1

KAILUA (9-7-1) 101 001 2X—5 7 2

Jaelleen Johnson, Shelby Lono (7) and Mikala Scott. Tiffany Bonifacio and Tricia Bonifacio. W — none. L — none.

Leading hitters — Lahainaluna: Johnna-Lynn Pedro 2-4; Daneen Williams 3-4; Amanda Vegas 3-3, double, homer, 2 runs, 3 RBIs. Kailua: Ikapela Watson 2-2, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Kimberlee Shimizu homer, 2 RBIs.

See Nakama's blog at http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com.