ABERDEEN, Md. — It's the rematch they wanted. Hilo advanced to today's U.S. championship game against Bryant, Ark., with a 7-3 win over Satsuma, Ala., yesterday in the 2006 Cal Ripken World Series at Cal Sr.'s Yard.

Hilo manager Kaha Wong had wished for a rematch with the Arkansas team after it shut out his team, 2-0, on Thursday.

"It's gonna be the game of the tournament," Wong said.

The teams meet today at 12:30 p.m. Hawai'i time. The game will be televised live on the Outdoor Life Network.

In yesterday's game, Hawai'i gave up three first-inning runs before settling down behind the pitching of Kawika Pruett. Pruett throttled Alabama as his team scored seven unanswered runs to advance to the U.S. Championship.

The first two Alabama batters reached base, and the first run scored on a wild pitch by starting pitcher Ridge Hoopi-Haslam. Another scored when second baseman Jordan Jinbo bobbled a ball.

Hoopi-Haslam, who didn't get anyone out, was then replaced by Pruett, who managed to get a strikeout and a ground out. The third run scored before Pruett struck out his second batter of the inning.

When the trouble was finally quieted, Hilo got out of the inning trailing, 3-0.

Hilo struck immediately with one run when Hoopi-Haslam reached on a dropped ball by the first baseman, advanced to second on a passed ball and took third on a wild pitch. After filling the bases with two walks, Hoopi-Haslam scored on a single by Jinbo.

Hilo played wall ball in the third. Kean Wong led off with a successful bunt and scored on a triple by Hoopi-Haslam, who drove one high off the right-field wall, missing a home run by a couple of feet.

Ekolu Martins followed with a deep RBI single off the left-field wall to drive in Hoopi-Haslam with the tying run. Martin advanced to third on Pruett's double off the left field wall, and scored the go-ahead and eventual winning run on a wild pitch, giving Hilo a 4-3 lead.

In the fourth, Anson Arruda walked and advanced to second on Chayce Kaaua's bunt. Kaaua reached when the first baseman dropped the throw and eventually scored when Alabama unsuccessfully went for the double play.

Hilo pulled away in the fifth with its last two runs. Martins singled and scored on Pruett's triple.

Jinbo then bunted successfully to send Pruett home.

Pruett received the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Award for Hilo. He earned the victory, pitching five shutout innings. He allowed one hit, hit one batter and struck out nine.

Hilo was unable to score against Arkansas in its loss on Thursday, as pitcher Blake Davidson pitched all six innings, striking out eight and allowing just four hits.

"In my books we should have hit this guy (Davidson)," Wong said after that game. "Hopefully, we meet these guys again and get some revenge."

They'll get that chance today.