Powerful performances at the plate on Thursday set up the third meeting of the season between OIA rivals Aiea and Nanakuli, this time with a state championship at stake.

Nanakuli, the two-time defending Division II state champion, pulled away from Kamehameha-Hawaii with a six-run fifth inning and advanced with an 11-2 win in Thursday’s first semifinal in the DataHouse/HHSAA State Softball Championships at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Aiea followed with a 12-2 win over Waimea in five innings, powered by the battery of Poamai Tuli and Kallie Alama. 

Tuli, a sophomore pitcher, held Waimea to two hits and Alama, a senior catcher, went 3-for-3 with a home run and drove in five runs.

While Nanakuli reached the state final for the fourth straight year, Aiea will make its first appearance in the D-II championship game — scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday — a year after falling in the semifinal round.

“Obviously it’s a great opportunity for the girls and to be there is an awesome reward for the players,” Aiea coach Alan Higuchi said.

“(Nanakuli’s) a solid team all the way across the board. Any time you play a team like that, we’re going to have to be on top of our game.”

Nanakuli won both regular-season meetings with Aiea, one by forfeit, in an undefeated run through the OIA White regular season. But Aiea claimed its first OIA title with a 10-8 win in eight innings against the Golden Hawks on May 8.

“Any time we meet up it’s always good games so the girls are excited and I know Aiea’s excited,” acting Nanakuli coach Waldo Meyers said. “Now everybody knows what everybody does. Whoever executes the best is probably going to win the game.”

The Golden Hawks assistants took over leadership of the team this week with head coach Ricky Gusman hospitalized. 

“That’s kind of a motivation for them too,” Meyers said. “We’re not only playing for ourselves, our families and for our school and community, it’s for him too.”

Aiea, the tournament’s third seed, lost to Waimea in last year’s semifinals but took control early on Thursday. The first five Aiea hitters reached base in the bottom of the first inning with Kayla Higuchi’s RBI double sparking a three-run rally. Alama drilled a two-run single up the middle in the second inning and singled in another run in the third. 

“I just gained a lot of confidence and stayed relaxed and I knew when it was right in my zone just swing, I was just ready for it,” Alama said.

She capped her afternoon with a two-run homer to left in the fifth inning and Tuli brought the 10-run rule into effect with an RBI double.

Tuli gave up two hits, struck out four and walked two in five innings. She transferred from Utah this school year and developed a bond with Alama upon enrolling at Aiea.

“From the beginning of the year I just needed to adjust and we just became like best friends,” Alama said, “sisters on and off the field.”

Alama is part of a four-player senior class for Na Alii, who will close their careers in their first state final.

“We’ve been waiting three years for this moment to come so we’re going to bring it,” she said.

Kiani Kamakea, Deannalynn Tafiti (3) and Karlyee Rye Malapit. Poamai Tuli and Kallie Alama. W—Tuli. L—Kamakea.

Leading hitters—Waimea: Starlynn Ripley, 2b, RBI; Malapit, RBI. Aiea: Vevesi Liilii, 2-3, 2b, RBI; Kayla Higuchi, 3-4, 2b, RBI; Alama, 3-3, HR, 5 RBIs; Testimoni Tavale, RBI; Rayna Higuchi, 2-3; Tuli 2b, RBI.

Nanakuli 11, Kamehameha-Hawaii 2

Kaila Burnett drove in four runs and caught Kanalei McCoy’s complete-game outing and the Golden Hawks returned to the Division II final by winning their ninth straight state tournament game.

Nanakuli has just two seniors on the roster and Burnett and McCoy, both sophomores, powered the Hawks past the Warriors.

“They’re young but we’ve got a lot of experience and a lot of kids that have been there already,” Meyers said. “So hopefully they’ll step up and everybody else follow.”

After Nanakuli built a 3-0 lead, Kamehameha-Hawaii closed to within a run in the fourth inning on Taylor-James Sullivan’s home run to left. But Burnett and Emma Kawaiaea delivered two-run singles in Nanakuli’s six-run fifth inning and the Golden Hawks continued to pull away.

McCoy shut out the Warriors following Sullivan’s homer and hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh. She gave up seven hits, struck out one and walked one.

Kanalei McCoy and Kaila Burnett. Mykala Tokunaga and Kekailani Wong Yuen. W—McCoy. L—Tokunaga.

Leading hitters—Nanakuli: Burnett 4-5, 4 RBIs, run; Cheyenne Lute 2-5, 2 runs; Emma Kawaiaea 2-5, 2 RBIs; McCoy HR, RBI, 2 runs; Daria Kawaauhau 2-3, 2b, 2 runs; Kika Mahoe 2-2, 2b, RBI, 2 runs. Kamehameha-Hawaii: Kiarra Lincoln 2-4, 2b; Taylor-James Sullivan 2-3, HR, 2b, 2 RBIs, run; Makena Wagner 2b, run. 

Consolation

Konawaena 10, Waialua 3

Shyla Victor and Teizha Kaluna. Danielle Maxwell, Keahi Pang (3) and Laola Pang. W—Victor. L—Maxwell. 

Leading hitters—Konawaena: Precious Transfiguracion 3 RBIs, run; Kaluna 3 runs; Lihue Wessel 2 runs. Waialua: Christel Agtina 2-3, RBI, run; Andrea Dicion 2b. 

Molokai 14, Kalaheo 3

Kysha Kawano and Tai Yamamoto. Jacquelyne Howard and Michelle Sasaki. W—Kawano. L—Howard. 

Leading hitters—Molokai: Kapualanionakuahiwiokamako Lee 2-3, 3 runs; Yamamoto 2 runs; Waipuna Kelly-Paleka 2-3, 2 runs; Brooke Keliihoomalu 2-2, RBI, 3 runs; Sydney Rawlins 2 RBIs; Nadia Augustiro 2b, RBI, run. Kalaheo: Howard 2b, run.

Pac-Five 6, Lanai 1

Claire Vila, Tyana Soberano-Foster (6) and Jordan Sanches. Kiara Peterson and Kailee Russell. W—Peterson. L—Vila. 

Leading hitters—Lanai: Cherie Malacas 2-3, RBI; Vila 3b. Pac-Five: Karley Ann Yoshioka 2b, run; Peterson 2b, 3 runs; Khaliah Kahoano 2-2, 2b, RBI. 

St. Francis 11, Kohala 1

Caryn Chinen and Jessica Hudson. Symphony Kauanoe, Ashlyn Van Zandt (1) and Kadence Coito. W—Chinen. L—Kauanoe. 

Leading hitters—St. Francis: Danielle Antolin 3-3, RBI, 2 runs; Sammie Ofoia 3-3, 2b, 3b, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Rasela Vili HR, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Kaitlin Santos 2 runs; Hudson 2-3, 2b, 3b, 3 RBIs, run. Kohala: Van Zandt 2-2, 2b, RBI; Antonette Fernandez 2b, run; Jurnee Keawe 2b. 

DIVISION II

THURSDAY

Semifinals

Nanakuli 11, KS-Hawaii 2

Aiea 12, Waimea 2

Consolation

Konawaena 10, Waialua 3

Molokai 14, Kalaheo 3

Pac-Five 6, Lanai 1

St. Francis 11, Kohala 1

FRIDAY

At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium

Championship

Nanakuli vs. Aiea, 5 p.m.

Third place

KS-Hawaii vs. Waimea, 1 p.m.

At McKinley High School

Fifth place

Pac-Five vs. St. Francis, 1 p.m.

Consolation

Konawaena vs. Molokai, 11 a.m.