The difference, however, between the two Babe Ruth 13-year-old all-star teams that squared off Thursday night in a World Series game on the city’s east side is ever so slight.

Hawaii Kai sent nine batters to the plate in the top of the second inning, scored five runs on just one hit — an RBI single by Jackson Cadiz — and it held on for a 6-4 victory over the Krusaders before a large and boisterous crowd at Diethrick Park.

The win means the Pacific Southwest Regional champions (3-1) are the No. 2 seed from the American Division entering the single-elimination portion of the tournament. They will meet Atlantic Shore, New Jersey (2-2), the No. 3 from the National Division, at 1:30 p.m. today.

Jamestown (2-2), meanwhile, is the No. 3 seed from the American Division and will take on Norwalk, Connecticut (3-1), the No. 2 seed from the National Division, at 11 a.m. today.

OBSERVER Photo by Valory S. Isaacson Jamestown Krusaders’ Blake Herman is out at first base after Hawaii Kai, Hawaii’s Dexter Kauahi (8) steps on the bag as teammate Colton Gallano looks on during Thursday’s Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series game at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.

Hawaii Kai got all the runs it needed against the Krusaders in the second inning. The rally was fueled by four walks, a hit batter and an error, which forced Jamestown manager Shane Swan to bring in reliever Judd Harris for starter Branston Lindquist. Harris, the host’s Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game, recorded the final two outs, but Hawaii Kai had an early lead.

And it held up.

The Krusaders cut the deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the second when Nash Luther led off with a line-drive double to left, moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt by Cadiz, the starting pitcher, and scored on an error by third baseman Slade Sarono. But Sarano started a 5-3 double play — the first of two critical twin-killings on the night — that permitted Hawaii Kai to get out of the inning without any further damage.

Jamestown continued to cut into the Hawaii Kai lead when Chase Haglund drilled a one-out double — the first of his two hits on the night — to deep left-center in the bottom of the third; moved to third base on a groundout by Ashton Putney; and scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 5-3.

The hosts pulled to within a run in the bottom of the sixth, but after pinch-hitter Aiden Gruber’s RBI single cut the deficit to 5-4, James Johnson’s liner to short was snagged by Ali Ahu, who threw to third to double off Luther for the final out. Winning pitcher Caleb Hamasaki, the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game, had worked himself out of a huge jam

Hawaii Kai tacked on a run in the seventh. With one out, Sarono singled and came all the way around to score when Ahu’s single was misplayed in left field to push the margin back to two runs, 6-4.

That was just enough.

Jamestown opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning without the benefit of a hit.

Haglund raced all the way to second base on a throwing error to lead off the frame and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Putney. When the throw to first was wild, Putney was called out for interference, but Haglund scored to give the hosts a 1-0 lead off Cadiz.

It was the last time the Krusaders found themselves in front, but as has been the case throughout the World Series, they didn’t quit.

The difference entering today’s action is that they must win to stay alive.

Stay tuned.