The Castle softball team slayed a "giant" last night.

These Knights looked anything but the underdogs against previously unbeaten Campbell.

Leisha Li'ili'i pitched six solid innings and homered as Castle beat Campbell, 8-4, in the semifinals of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference tournament at Central O'ahu Regional Park.

"I'm just proud of these girls," said Castle coach Jon Berinobis. "We just told them come out here and play and enjoy it. We're facing a giant, the best team in the state. Just go out there and play ball. Just stay close and give us a chance to win at the end. That's all."

Castle, the East runner-up and ranked No. 8 in The Advertiser's Top 10 poll, will play Mililani for the title tonight at CORP following the OIA White title game between Waialua and Kalani, which starts at 5 p.m.

Li'ili'i, a junior left-hander, allowed four hits, walked two and struck out two against Campbell, the West champion and ranked No. 1 by The Advertiser.

She said her "screws and curves inside" were working well last night.

Li'ili'i was cruising until allowing four unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth, which cut the Knights' lead to 6-4.

Li'ili'i pitched a 1-2-3 sixth and added some insurance in the seventh with a two-run homer to center to put Castle up 8-4.

"It was down the middle," Li'ili'i said. "I just thought about getting a base hit to advance the runner or drive them in, and I did."

Maycee Moe, who started at first base, pitched a perfect seventh for Castle (11-3).

"Castle was just the better team," said Campbell coach David Perreira. "They just kicked our butt."

Campbell (13-1) will host Kapolei for third place today at 1 p.m.

All four OIA tournament semifinalists, and Roosevelt and Wai'anae will represent the OIA at the DataHouse Division I state tournament, May 11 to 14 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

"We have three goals every year — winning the East, winning an OIA (title), making it to the states," Castle's Berinobis said.

The Knights led 3-0 after the first and 6-0 after 5 1/2innings, and they did it against Campbell ace Katie Manumā, one of the top pitchers in the state.

In the first, Castle got two hits and benefitted from two throwing errors on the same play.

Brittney Ann Hawn led off with a single up the middle. After a strikeout, Li'ili'i sliced an opposite-field double down the left-field line to drive in Hawn. Li'ili'i moved to third on a groundout, and Moe drew a walk to put runners at the corners. Alyssa Cipriano hit a chopper to the third baseman, whose throw to first was high and wide, enabling Li'ili'i to score. The right fielder retrieved the ball in foul territory and threw wildly toward second in an attempt to get Cipriano. Moe sprinted in from third as the ball rolled toward the outfield to make it 3-0.

The Knights added one in the second on Hawn's one-out single to right, which scored Kalena Lessary.

Castle made it 6-0 in the fifth on Cipriano's two-out, two-run single that took a bad hop past the shortstop.

In Campbell's four-run fifth, the first two scored on an error by the second baseman — her second fielding error of the inning — and two more came in on Manumā's double to right.

CASTLE (11-3) 310 020 2—8 7 2

CAMPBELL (13-1) 000 040 0—4 4 2

Leisha Li'ili'i, Maycee Moe (7) and Alyssa Cipriano. Katie Manumā, Sharae Esprecion (5) and Summer Palipti. W — Li'ili'i. L — Manumā.

Leading hitters — Castle: Brittney Ann Hawn 2-4; Brooke-Lee Kaululaau 2 runs; Li'ili'i 2-4, double, homer, 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Cipriano 2 RBIs. Campbell: Collette Black 2-3; Manumā double, 2 RBIs.

MILILANI 7, KAPOLEI 3

It took a while for the Trojans' offense to go from dormant to dominant against the Hurricanes.

Mililani (11-3) broke a 2-2 tie by scoring five runs in the sixth to win the semifinal of the OIA Red Conference tournament at CORP.

Kristi Oshiro, a senior second baseman and lead-off hitter, singled in Alysia Maddison with the go-ahead run in the sixth.

"Runners got on base and I just had to hit the ball somewhere," said Oshiro, who finished 3 for 4 and scored twice. "I told myself I wasn't going to leave runners on base."

Rebecca Lee added a run-scoring single to shortstop, Courtney Senas had an RBI single to right and Andi Felise hit a two-run double to left for Mililani, the West runner-up and ranked No. 5 by The Advertiser.

Kapolei, the West's No. 4 team, led 2-0 after scoring in the third and fourth innings.

Mililani tied it in the fifth when two runs scored on a fielding error by the second baseman.

Maddison, a sophomore left-hander, picked up the complete-game victory against Kapolei (8-7). She scattered 10 hits and struck out six.

"These kids never gave up today and they fought all the way to the end. They battled," said Mililani coach Rose Antonio.

KAPOLEI (8-7) 001 100 1—3 10 1

MILILANI (11-3) 000 025 X—7 10 3

Winona Pauline, Tanisha Aniya (6) and Aimee Aipa. Alysia Maddison and Rebecca Lee. W — Maddison. L — Pauline.

Leading hitters—Kapolei: Dorian Acierto 2-4, double, 2 runs; Mikela Manewa 2-4; Aniya 2-3; Ashalyn Umiamaka 2-3. Mililani: Kristi Oshiro 3-4, 2 runs; Courtney Senas 2-4, double; Maddison double; Kacie Oshiro 2 runs.

WAI'ANAE 9, MOANALUA 1

Kyree Naiwi went 3 for 4 with five RBIs to lead the host Seariders past Nā Menehune in an OIA consolation game. Jazmyn Savini was 3 for 4, including a double and two RBIs. The Seariders play host Roosevelt in the fifth-place game today at 1 p.m.

MOANALUA (6-9) 0000001—1 7 5

WAI'ANAE (9-6) 240 003 X—9 10 0

Peyton Buen, Vanessa Villa (6) and Dori Ann Sugai. Piilani Keopuhiwa and Kristi Keomalu. W — Keopuhiwa. L — Buen.

Leading hitters — Moanalua: Kiana Guillermo 2-3, double, Nala Quevido 2-3. Wai'anae: Jazmyn Savini 3-4, double, 2 RBIs; Kyree Naiwi 3-4, 5 RBI; Keopuhiwa 2-3, double; Keomalu double.

Reported by Lincoln Naiwi

ROOSEVELT 2, KAILUA 0

Lianna Bajarin pitched a three-hitter and drove in a run for the host Rough Riders.

KAILUA (10-5) 000 000 0—0 3 0

ROOSEVELT (12-2) 000 110 X—2 4 3

Jaelleen Johnson and Sharla Kumai-Farrell. Lianna Bajarin and Lindsay Takekawa. W — Bajarin. L — Johnson.

Leading hitters — Kailua: Shelby Lono 2-2. Roosevelt: Brianne Leong 1 RBI; Bajarin 1 RBI.

Reported by Milton Fujii

OIA WHITE

WAIALUA 8, KALāHEO 7

Ciara Balidoy's single drove in Tiana Canaday with the winning run in a six-run seventh inning for the host Bulldogs. Waialua plays Kalani today for the OIA White championship.

KALĀHEO (10-4) 010 201 3—7 7 1

WAIALUA (10-2) 000 002 6—8 9 1

Sarah Fitzherbert and Amanda Pavey. Karina Bayudan and Jessica Temblor. W — Bayudan. L — Fitzherbert.

Leading hitters — Kalāheo: Fitzherbert 2-4; Kawai Almeida 2-4, 2 RBIs; Theresa Capllonch 2-2, 2 homers, 3 RBIs; Noelani Maglinti solo homer. Waialua: Charee Wong 2-4, homer, 3 RBIs; Pua Naki 2-4I; Ciara Balidoy 2-4, double, 2 RBIs; Tiana Canaday double.

Reported by Rod Dicion

KALANI 13, 'AIEA 4

The Falcons scored eight runs in the first inning to cruise by Nā Ali'i. Hikaru Kumagai had three hits and two RBIs, while Kelli Muramaru had four RBIs.

'AIEA (6-7) 301 000 0— 4 7 2

KALANI (12-1) 800 401 X—13 12 2

Joe-Ann Rapoza, Kelsie Takeuchi (6) and Ashlei Liilii. Rayme Awaya and Kristi Belshe. W — Awaya. L — Rapoza.

Leading hitters — 'Aiea: Cori Nishi 2-4, triple. Kalani: Hikaru Kumagai 3-5, 2 RBIs; Kristiann Endow 2-3, triple; Kelli Muramaru 2-3, 4 RBIs; Haley Omiya 2-3.

Reported by Melissa Marquez