Kailua (12-3), the Oahu Interscholastic Association champion and seeded No. 2, edged Kamehameha-O'ahu, 5-4. The Surfriders reached the final for the first time since 2003, and last won the state title in 2001, the last time an OIA team took the crown.

The final of the HHSAA/Wally Yonamine Foundation Baseball State Championship is tonight at 8, at Les Murakami Stadium.

Punahou 3, Waiakea 2

Buffanblu coach Eric Kadooka was waiting for the right situation to bring him in.

Pate entered with one out, a runner at second, and the score tied at 2 in the top of the seventh. The senior right-hander, who threw 23 pitches the previous night, got a groundout and strikeout to end the inning and allow his teammates to break through in the bottom half.

"Our season is on the line, so I just wanted to go out there and be there for my teammates," Pate said.

Buffanblu ninth-place hitter Reyn Kubota led off the seventh with a double to left, and Waiakea starter Darren Takasaki intentionally walked Landon Nakata. Kyle Fujimoto followed with a bunt to the first baseman, who thought about throwing to third and fired late to first, loading the bases. With the infield and outfield drawn in, Bucky Aona lifted a routine fly to shallow left field, but the ball fell in for the game-winning hit.

"I told these kids we're going to hang around, hang around, hang around ... whoever gets that first break," Waiakea coach Tommy Correa said. "We stared at each other and we were the first to blink in the seventh."

Pate relieved left-hander Carl Graves, who allowed three hits and two unearned runs. He walked two and struck out six.

"Carl is a little deceptive, he throws strikes and in tough times he was able to get out of jams," Kadooka said.

Pate threw eight pitches last night and said he'll be available to start tonight.

He said his arm is "feeling really good," and added "I'm definitely ready to go (tonight).

"We want this one really badly. Coming back no one said we could do it again, so we just want to prove them all wrong."

Punahou scored in the first when Fujimoto hit a one-out single and scored on Kasey Ko's two-out bloop double to left.

Waiakea (13-3), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion and No. 4 seed, took the lead with two runs in the third, on an error and an RBI grounder by Raymond Velez.

In the bottom half, Aona led off with a single and was replaced by pinch runner Matt Solomana. Ko followed with a hit-and-run single to center, and the center fielder's throw to third, in an effort to get Solomana, sailed into the Waiakea dugout, allowing Solomana to score and Ko to reach second.

Kailua 5, KS-O'ahu 4

Pinch-hitter Kurt Sasaoka's two-out single scored Ransen Kaanoi with the winning run as Kailua rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to shock Kamehameha.

"I have to wear contacts and today it ripped," said Sasaoka, who tore his right contact yesterday morning and removed the left one before his at-bat. He admitted his eyesight was a little "blurry." "The pitch was right down there and I just took a rip at it."

Last night's showdown was a rematch of the 2003 state championship, which was won by Kamehameha. Kailua won the state championship in 2001.

"The way we play is the way you're supposed to play baseball," Kailua coach Corey Ishigo said. "That's how I try to teach them how to play — have fun playing the game, but to play with your feelings and leave everything on the field."

Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh, Kailua rallied against Kamehameha's John Worthington.

Tyler Harrison singled to lead off and one out later advanced to third on Ryan Rodrigues' double. Matthew Kinoshita followed with a two-run double to left to tie the score at 4. Worthington was replaced by Waylen Sing Chow, who intentionally walked Kevin Matsumoto. That set the stage for Sasaoka, who pinch hit for Kelii Klobucar, and pulled a 1-0 pitch past diving third baseman Eli Chee.

"He did it with his heart, not with his eyes," Ishigo said.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8041, and Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.

YESTERDAY

'AIEA 2, KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAI'I 1: Lance Powell, Shane Koga and Keenan Naeole combined on a four-hitter as Na Ali'i (15-3) beat the Warriors (12-5).

• 'Aiea (15-3) 020 000 0—2 4 2
• KS-HAWAI'I (12-5) 000 010 0—1 4 1

Lance Powell, Shane Koga (2), Keenan Naeole (6) and Andrew Gouveia. Josh Antonio, Kelii Kimi (3) and Kolten Wong. W—Koga. L—Antonio.

Leading hitters—'Aiea: Kurt Nishi, double, .Shane Koga, double. KS-Hawai'i: Keanemana Silva, 2-3, double.

MOANALUA 8, KAUA'I 2: Pete Arakawa batted 3 for 4 with three RBIs, and Chance Daskauskas pitched a complete game as the Menehunes (11-3) beat the Red Raiders (12-3).

• MOANALUA (11-3) 003 120 2—8 10 1
• KAUA'I (12-3) 101 000 0—2 7 4

Chance Daskauskas and Donovan Souza. Stanton Yoshimori, Cody Goias (6) and Aaron Adachi, Kaulana Judd. W—Daskauskas. L—Yoshimori.

Leading hitters—Moanalua: Pete Arakawa 3-4, double, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Adam Arakawa 3-4, 2 RBIs; Andrew Blomberg 2-4, double, triple; Souza 2 RBIs; Michael Amorozo 2-3, triple. Kaua'i: Shannon Oketani 2-4; Yoshimori triple, 2 RBIs; Kirby Yates double; Aaron Adachi double.

BALDWIN 3, MILILANI 1: Jimmy Legsay scattered seven hits in a complete-game performance and Shaun Shima drove in two runs as the Bears (15-4) beat the Trojans (10-4) in a game called after 6y´ innings because of the two-hour time limit.

• BALDWIN (15-4) 102 000 0—3 3 2
• MILILANI (10-4) 001 000 x—1 7 0

Jimmy Legsay and Kalehua Moniz. Tony Aquino, Richard Mariano (3), Dustin Antolin (4) and Kamaka Crabbe, Josh Queja. W—Legsay. L—Aquino.

Leading hitters—Baldwin: Jared Keyes 2 runs; Derrick Saito double; Shaun Shima 2 RBIs. Mililani: Brandon Oshiro 2-2, double; Aquino double.

SEMIFINALS

• Waiakea (13-3) 002 000 0—2 3 1
• Punahou (20-2-1) 101 000 1—3 11 1

Darren Takasaki and Raymond Velez. Carl Graves, Jared Pate (7) and Michael Chock. W—Pate. L—Takasaki.

Leading hitters—Waiakea: Bucky Aona 3-4; Kasey Ko 3-3, double; Reyn Kubota 2-2, double.

• KS-O'ahu (18-6) 000 031 0—4 6 2
• Kailua (12-3) 000 200 3—5 9 1

Erick Price, John Worthington (5), Waylen Sing Chow (7) and Stuart Kam. Aaron Kent, Kevin Matsumoto (6) and Michael D'Alessio. W—Matsumoto. W—Worthington.