Nicole Arata slammed a three-run double to center field with one out in the top of the ninth inning last night, lifting Campbell to a pulsating 6-3 victory over Mid-Pacific in the DataHouse Division I Softball State Championship quarterfinals.

The Sabers improved to 16-1 in the regular and postseason and will face O'ahu Interscholastic Association runner-up Castle (13-4) in today's 5 p.m. semifinal at Rainbow Wahine Stadium. The game will be televised live statewide on OC16.

Brianne Silva-Kapihe led off the Campbell ninth with a walk, Gerika Pantohan reached on a fielder's choice bunt and Katie Manumā walked to load the bases. That brought up Arata, whose two-run single in the fifth inning put the Sabers ahead, 2-1.

"I was really excited, I was just trying to get a base hit to help my team win," Arata said of her double, which came on a 2-1 pitch. "I wasn't looking for anything special."

As expected, the game started as a classic pitchers' duel between MPI sophomore Keiki Carlos and Campbell senior Manumā, both right-handers.

The No. 2 seed and Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Owls (12-3) took a 1-0 lead in the fourth after Tasi Docktor led off with a walk, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Kristin Yama's single to center field.

The Sabers answered with two runs in the fifth, after Pantohan reached on an error, advanced to second on Sharae Esprecion's infield single and to third on Manumā's walk. Pantohan and Esprecion then scored on Arata's single to right.

Mid-Pacific took the lead back at 3-2 in the fifth after Tasha Luis-Hirata walked with one out, advanced to second on Carlos' sacrifice bunt and scored on an error, with Docktor scoring on another error one batter later.

Campbell tied it 3-3 in the sixth after Collette Black led off with a single to left, advanced to second on Summer Palipti's sacrifice bunt and scored on Silva-Kapihe's single to right.

CAMPBELL (16-1) 000 021 003 — 6 7 2

MID-PACIFIC (12-3) 000 120 000 — 3 2 0

Katie Manumā and Summer Palipti. Keiki Carlos and Kaydi Kochi. W — Carlos. L — Manumā.

Leading hitters — Campbell: Nicole Arata 2-4, double, 5 RBIs; Sharae Esprecion 2-5.

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