Jasmine Ioane scattered seven hits, struck out seven and hit two home runs with five RBIs last night to lift Punahou past Mililani, 8-3, in DataHouse Division I State Softball Championship semifinal action.

The Interscholastic League of Honolulu runner-up Buffanblu improved to 14-3 in the regular and postseason and will face Campbell (17-1) in tonight's title game at Rainbow Wahine Stadium.

First pitch is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be televised live statewide on OC16.

Like Campbell, Punahou is also seeking its first state title.

"We're super excited," said Ioane, a senior right-hander. "We want to play our game, just like we've been doing."

The Buffanblu jumped to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Mysha Sataraka's RBI double and Ioane's towering three-run homer over the left-field fence. They made it 7-0 in the second after an RBI single by Sataraka and Ioane's two-run homer over the fence in right-center.

"That (lead) really helped," Ioane said. "It boosted my confidence."

Punahou went up, 8-0, in the fifth on two hits and an error.

"Our pitching is young," Trojans coach Rose Antonio said of junior starter Tiari-Jay Fernandez and sophomore reliever Alysia Maddison. "It's been a learning experience."

No. 1 seed and O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion Mililani (13-4) got two runs in the sixth on one hit, one error and a wild pitch, and closed to 8-3 with two outs in the seventh on Rebecca Lee's RBI infield single.

But Ioane got a popup back to the pitcher's mound to end the game.

The Trojans had overcome a 5-0 deficit and rallied past Wai'anae, 12-5, in Wednesday's quarterfinals, a game that Buffanblu coach Bob Makahilahila watched from the bleachers.

"Actually, we were waiting for them to come back again (last night), because you can't keep a good team like that down the whole game," Makahilahila said. "I thought they might eventually have a big inning."

Ioane escaped her first jam in the fourth inning, with runners at the corners and two outs, when second baseman Reina Furuya smothered a hard grounder by Mililani cleanup hitter Andi Felise with a diving stop and threw to first from her knees to kill the rally.

"That was huge," Antonio said.

PUNAHOU (14-3) 430 010 0 — 8 9 2

MILILANI (13-4) 000 002 1 — 3 7 2

Jasmine Ioane and Kayla Shimoda. Tiari-Jay Fernandez, Alysia Maddison (2) and Rebbeca Lee W — Ioane. L — Fernandez.

Leading hitters — Punahou: Ioane 2-2, 2 home runs, 5 RBIs; Mysha Sataraka 2-5, double, 2 RBIs; Jaci Young 2-3. Mililani: Lee 3-4, RBI; Maddison 2-3.

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com