BANGOR, Maine — This was decidedly unfamiliar territory for the U.S. West region champions from Hilo.

Losing? That was a foreign concept.

Hawai'i's offensive dynamo not only was undefeated in postseason play, it hadn't yet trailed in a game. But the team whose average margin of victory while going 14-0 in the postseason was 11.2 runs per game found itself on the short end of a 5-1 score and one strike away from a — gasp! — defeat last night at Mansfield Stadium.

That was before Kolten Wong coaxed a walk out of Surrey, British Columbia, starting pitcher Charley Clark with two outs in the top of the seventh inning.

The walk did two things: It kept Hilo's hope alive and forced Clark off the mound as he reached the 95-pitch limit in this Little League Senior (ages 14-16) World Series pool A game.

It also laid the groundwork for Keaka Pilayo's dramatic three-run, game-tying double to center field and Jeremy Crivello's subsequent go-ahead RBI single to right in Hilo's 6-5 victory over the Canadian champions.

Hilo (3-0) clinched a berth in Friday's semifinals.

"We came together as a team and everybody did what they had to do and we came out with a win," said Hilo manager Kaha Wong.

The term "team victory" is a bit of a cliché these days, but this one was anything but. Hilo got key hits, walks, and even hit batters throughout the lineup. Three players played multiple positions, and three pitchers put together a solid relief effort to make this improbable win possible.

"Jared Shiroma came off the bench and started the rally with a pinch-hit single," Wong said. "That's where it all started."

Actually, it started with Blake Amaral's 2 2/3 innings of hitless and scoreless relief and Pilayo's scoreless one-third of an inning — his first postseason pitching appearance.

"I just threw fastballs and tried to get the last out," said Pilayo, who earned the victory.

It was also a fastball that helped him at the plate as he flared a high, 2-1 fastball from Canada reliever Chris Brien into shallow center field and just in front of a lunging grab by outfielder Adam Quan for the key double.

"He's all heart. He's not big in stature, but he's got the biggest heart," Wong said of Pilayo. "He loves being in the pressure situation and doing what he just did tonight."

The first two runners scored easily, but pinch runner Ryan Kihara had to dance by the tag at home plate to tie the score 5-5.

After Ryan Fukunaga drew a walk, Crivello scored Pilayo from second with his second single to right field in the game.

"This was hard, but I knew these guys had heart," said catcher Kolten Wong, who had two doubles and scored twice. "We had to show if we're going to be pretenders or contenders."

The rally overshadowed a solid effort by Clark, who allowed eight hits and three runs to Hilo in 6 2/3 innings.

Chris Brien relieved Clark, and walked Amaral to load the bases. Geonah Ragual was hit on the knuckles to force home Thad Yosuhara and set the stage for Pilayo.

"This is was pretty scary, honestly, because it's the first time this has ever happened to us," Pilayo said. "But Kolten pumped us up and reminded us we all had to do this as a team."

Amaral took the mound in the seventh and earned a save with a strikeout and groundout. With a runner on first because of an error, Pilayo got Hayden MacDonald to fly out for the final out.

The 132 minutes of unfamiliar drama served as a bit of a welcome distraction for the Hilo players, who were concerned about friends and relatives back home, where Hurricane Flossie was headed.

"Once we step on that field, everybody's minds are on baseball and nothing else," Kolten Wong said. "So it's a good distraction for a couple hours."

"I guess (the storm is) getting kind of bad right now, but I guess the part we live in isn't being as hit as bad as the south part (of the Big Island)," Kaha Wong said. "The kids are on the phone as much as they can be finding out what's going on."

Hilo has a bye today before completing pool play tomorrow against host Brewer & Orrington, Maine.