DARTMOUTH — Greater New Bedford Voke Tech sophomore Olivia Araujo had a trip around the bases to let the moment sink in. That wasn’t enough time to grasp what she just did, though.

Araujo looked to supply the No. 10 Bears with a hit to keep the top of the sixth inning alive in Wednesday’s Division 3 state semifinal against No. 6 Foxboro on the campus of UMass-Dartmouth.

She delivered much more than that.

Araujo belted her first career home run, a two-out, two-run round-tripper to left field which proved to be the difference to advance the Bears (18-8) to their second state final in the last four seasons with a narrow 3-2 win over the Warriors (15-9).

“I still didn’t believe it,” Araujo said. “I knew at that point, with our defense, we were taking it all the way.”

Araujo’s homer was the perfect response after Foxboro scored on an RBI single by Emma Callahan and a wild pitch to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Warriors were on the verge of getting out of the top of the sixth before Araujo stunned not only Foxboro, but even her own coach Craig Soares.

“She’s a gamer,” Soares said. “She hits the ball. She plays hard ball. She hits the ball, but I wasn’t expecting that, I got to be honest.”

Greater New Bedford’s Emma Machado screams out in celebration after hitting a double during a 3-2 win over Foxboro in state semifinal softball action. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

The last two innings for Greater New Bedford freshman pitcher Akiira’ley Vazquez was a high-wire act – just like the rest of her outing – with Foxboro constantly putting traffic on the bases. But Vazquez, who scattered six hits with three walks and eight strikeouts while also slugging a first-inning homer, showed composure and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning by inducing a grounder to Araujo at shortstop.

Foxboro put the tying run on second when down to their final out thanks to a double from Natalia Leach (2-for-4). But Greater New Bedford’s defense backed up Vazquez again, this time with first baseman Janiah Cooper snaring a hard-hit liner to secure the win.

Leaving Leach at second represented the eighth runner Foxboro stranded in scoring position for the game.

Foxboro’s Emma Callahan dives for a ball as Olivia Jaworski backs her up against Greater New Bedford during a state semifinal softball game at UMass-Dartmouth. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

“It’s been like this all year long,” Soares said. “We’ve had so many games, one-run, two-run ball games. The girls get nerved up, but I told them, ‘Listen, this is the way it is when you get to the big  ones, man.’ … It was just good to be able to come back like that and showed some fight up here.”

Greater New Bedford celebrates after beating Foxboro during a state semifinal softball game at UMass-Dartmouth. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)