BANGOR, Maine — Pearl City, which has made a habit of winning close games in pool play of the Little League Senior (ages 15-16) World Series, eked out another one yesterday.

The Hawai'i team defeated defending champion Freehold Township, N.J., 4-3, to advance to today's championship game against Urbandale, Iowa.

"This means a whole lot," said winning pitcher Jason Rasa, who pitched a five-hitter. "Being here is an honor but getting to the championship game is even better."

Pearl City, now 5-0, becomes the second team from Hawai'i to advance to the final in three years. Hilo won the 2003 title.

"We expected to do the same thing as (Hilo)," said Pearl City first baseman Kellen Ushijima, who had an RBI single in a three-run third inning. "We were hoping to get this far and really compete."

Pearl City broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the bottom of the fourth.

Matthew Tanaid was hit by a pitch with one out, and then pinch-runner Peter Lee stole second. A walk and a wild pitch later, Lee was at third. He scored on Rorry Nakayama's sacrifice fly to center to ignite the Hawai'i fans, many of whom were wearing some combination of Pearl City purple and U.S. West yellow.

New Jersey had a runner at third in the top of the seventh but left fielder Lee made the game-ending catch in foul territory.

"That's baseball. We were one error, one passed ball, one hit away from tying the game," said New Jersey manager Charles Wilmot, whose team took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third.

Pearl City tied the score in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally. Scott Muraoka was hit by a pitch and Ryno Acosta followed with a single to left, sending pinch-runner Nakayama to second. Nakayama stole third, then scored on a wild pitch with Acosta taking third.

Shannon Liu walked, and Ushijima followed with a run-scoring single to center. Rasa capped the rally with a single to left that scored Liu.