Kiara Baba pitched the game of her life, but the ace of aces, Taryn Irimata, was just a little better.

Irimata went the distance, and courtesy runner Jasmine Ribac scored on a sacrifice fly by Teiah Keliiholokai in the bottom of the eighth inning as top-seeded Campbell escaped with a 3-2 win over ‘Iolani on Thursday night.

“I was just looking for anything to drive. I tried to change my approach from the beginning by being aggressive, just seeing the ball good and making contact,” Keliiholokai said. “I was just a little bit nervous, but I calmed myself down. I take a deep breath and try to have confidence in myself.”

The Lady Sabers (23-1-3 overall) will play Kamehameha for the Division I crown today at 7 p.m.

“The girls came through and we got the ‘W.’ We told them to keep calm and my coaches were in control of everything. I’m just glad we could play the way we played,” Campbell coach Shag Hermosura said. “ ‘Iolani is tough. They’re a good bunting team and they’re fast. Can’t take nothing away from them.”

Baba was the hard-luck loser, pushing Irimata to the limit and beyond in a classic pitchers’ duel. She scattered 10 hits, fanned seven and walked only one. Two runs were earned. Irimata allowed just four hits, struck out 10 and walked none.

“I feel great. That was a great team win. I think we’re prepared for tomorrow,” said Irimata, a senior who signed with Nevada. “They have a few good hitters who were hot this whole season, so we were trying to stay around them.”

Last year, ‘Iolani ousted Campbell 4-3 in eight innings during the quarterfinal round.

“We are hungry. Last year, we lost and it was probably the worst feeling we felt all season. We felt it was time for revenge,” Irimata said.

Irimata retired the Raiders in order in the top of the eighth, striking out two.

Kayla Whaley led off the bottom of the eighth for Campbell with a bloop single to left that was nearly caught by Julia Mizo. Ribac, a courtesy runner, advanced to second base on a wild pitch.

Leia Duropan missed on a bunt attempt for a third strike, but ‘Iolani catcher Mia Carbonell misfired a throw to third base, allowing Ribac to advance to third.

Keliiholokai then stepped into the box and did her job. Her fly ball to deep center was plenty enough to bring Ribac home.

Campbell has not won a state softball title since 2017.

ILH runner-up ‘Iolani (20-7-1) will play Waianae for third place today at McKinley.

The Raiders started well with a two-out, solo home run by Carbonell over the center-field fence in the top of the first inning.

Campbell tied the game in the bottom of the third. Kaiana Kong led off with a single, Cairah Curran singled with one out, and after Nanea Pantastico grounded into a forceout, the Sabers had runners at the corners. Lorraine Alo’s infield single off Baba’s right leg brought Kong home for Campbell’s first run.

The Lady Sabers had runners at the corners with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but Kong struck out and Quinn Waiki flied out to end the threat.

Campbell took the lead in the sixth inning. Duropan singled, courtesy runner Ribac advanced to second base on a wild pitch and scored on an opposite-field double by Kong, who had fouled off three pitches with two strikes on her. That gave the Sabers a 2-1 lead.

“I knew she was going to throw me outside, but I knew I had to stay inside on her curveball,” Kong said.

Lexi Muramoto then stunned the Sabers with a towering, one-out homer to left in the top of the seventh, tying the game at 2.

“We worked hard enough to get to this place so far,” Duropan said. “We have to keep working and get far, do what we’ve been doing this whole season.”

Kamehameha 10, Waianae 4

The second-seeded Warriors took advantage of four Waianae errors to eliminate the OIA runner-up. ILH champion Kamehameha (21-5-2), seeking its first softball state championship since 2008, will battle OIA champion Campbell for the crown.

Kiana Soller went the distance for the Warriors, who became only the second team to beat Waianae this year. Waianae (16-4-1), whose only other losses were to Campbell, will meet ‘Iolani in the third-place game at 5 p.m. today at McKinley.

Kamehameha entered the game having scored at least nine runs in 15 of its past 16 games. Possibly the most prolific offense in ILH history, the Warriors broke the ice with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Mariah Antoque’s bases-loaded double plated Miquela Leopoldo and Bobbi Cambra. Antoque later scored from third base on a double steal attempt, stepping on home plate before teammate Nevaeh Telles was tagged out in a rundown off first base.

In the third frame, Leopoldo’s opposite-field double brought in two more runs, and she later scored on a single by Mikaela Scarborough for a 6-0 Kamehameha lead.

The Seariders got on the board in the top of the fourth. Kehau Tambaoan-Kaeo walked and, with two outs, Charlee Rose Stevens doubled to right, scoring Tambaoan-Kaeo. Camryn Hensley followed with a single, scoring Stevens.

The Warriors tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, getting a sacrifice fly by Kezia Lucas. That opened the lead to 8-2.

Waianae got an RBI single by Jerrell Ori Mailo in the top of the fifth. With two runners on base, they came up empty and trailed 8-3. Kamehameha responded with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to stretch its lead to 10-3.

Waianae loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the sixth, but scored just one run on a groundout by Moani Ioane. Soller got Rosa to pop up for the third out.