Little League World Series: Fairfield Rolls Past New Jersey In Rematch

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Fairfield American baseball team is marching on in the Little League World Series after a 12-2 victory over New Jersey in an elimination game that was stopped by the Mercy Rule in the bottom of the fifth inning. Fairfield took both games against the powerful New Jersey team, the Mid-Atlantic champions. Fairfield also beat New Jersey, 7-6, in its opening game last Thursday.

Fairfield, the New England and Connecticut state champions, will face another familiar foe with a rematch with Lufkin, Texas in its next game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Lufkin defeated Fairfield 6-3 on Sunday.

On Wednesday morning, Ethan Righter pitched a flawless first inning and Fairfield came out swinging with five runs in the bottom of the first. Righter got things started with a single to lead off the bottom of the first.

Fairfield held a 5-2 lead in the fourth inning when Troy Ashkinos then gave Fairfield some breathing room with a grand slam to dead center to make it 9-2. Ashkinos then closed out the game by lifting a single to center for the 12-2 final in the bottom of the fifth.

Righter picked up the win on the mound. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out eight. (See a play-by-play recap of the game below)

See also:

• Little League World Series: Meet The New England Champions
• Fairfield American Gears Up For Little League World Series
• Holbrook's Little League World Series Trip 5 Years In The Making (Video)
• Fairfield American Reaches Little League World Series With Historic Win

FIRST INNING

Ethan Righter pitching for Connecticut. Ryan Kinsman batting. Pops up on an 0-1 pitch to short center. One out. Garrett Drew batting. Strikes out swinging. Two out. Chris Cartnick batting. Grounder to second on 0-1. Three outs.

Teams 0-0 after top of the first.

Dean Daddio pitching for Holbrook.

Righter hits infield single. Michael Iannazzo singles to right, Righter to second. Matthew Vivona batting. Wild pitch, Righter moves to third, Iannazzo to second. Vivona doubles to left, Righter, Iannazzo score. Connecticut leads 2-0.

Tyler Bauer batting, Vivona to third on a wild pitch. Bauer walks. Troy Ashkinos walks. Bases loaded.

Aidan Rivera hits into a fielder's choice, Bauer put out at third, Vivona scores. Ashkinos to second. One out. Connecticut leads 3-0. Andrew Cutler singles to right, bases loaded.

Owen Kalagher bloop single to short center, Ashkinos scores. Connecticut leads 4-0.

Leo Randazzo grounds into a fielder's choice, Kalagher out at second, Rivera scores. Two out. Connecticut leads 5-0.

Righter flies out to right. Three out.

Connecticut leads 5-0.

SECOND INNING

J.R. Osmond batting. Strikes out looking. One out.

R.J. Vashey batting. Strikes out swinging. Two out.

Charlie Meglio batting. Draws a walk.

Mike Arent batting. Singles to right, Meglio to second.

Daddio batting. Singles to right, Arent scores, Meglio to third. Connecticut leads, 5-1.

Andy Osmond batting for John Grano. Draws a walk. Bases loaded. Grano on as special pinch-runner.

Kinsman batting. Strikes out swinging. Three out.

Connecticut leads, 5-1.

THIRD INNING

Drew batting, flies out to right center. One out. Cartnick batting. Doubles down the right-field line on 3-1. J.R. Osmond batting. Grounder back to the pitcher, out at first, Cartnick to third. Two out.

Vashey batting. Wild pitch, Cartnick scores. On strike three, the ball gets past the catcher, Vashey runs to first. Called safe but overturned on video review. Three out.

Connecticut leads 5-2.

Anthony Pollack batting for Rivera. Strikes out swinging. One out. Anthony Falletta batting for Cutler, draws a walk. Cutler on to run for Falletta. Christian Smith batting for Kalagher. Line drive to left on 3-2, Drew makes the catch. Two out.

Griffin Dodder batting for Randazzo. Grounds into a fielder's choice. Three out.

Connecticut leads 5-2.

FOURTH INNING

Meglio batting. Strikes out looking. One out.

Anthony Abbonizio batting for Arent. Grounds out to second. Two out.

Tai Mann batting for Daddio. Strikes out swinging. Three out.

Connecticut leads 5-2.

Daddio pitching.

Righter grounds out to third, Andrews to Vashey. One out.

Iannazzo singles to left, bounces away, Iannazzo to second, advances to third on a errant throw.

Vivona intentionally walked.

Bauer grounds to third. Iannazzo caught in a rundown, ruled safe at third despite running out of the base path into the coach's box.

Ashkinos batting. Fouls off first pitch, then homers to center for a grand slam. Connecticut leads 9-2.

Pitching change for Holbrook. Andrews pitching.

Rivera batting. grounder to Daddio at third. Two out.

Cutler batting, draws a walk.

New Jersey pitching change. Andrews injured, according to ESPN. The injury is unspecified. Vashey pitching.

Smith batting. Strikes out. Three out.

Connecticut leads 9-2.

FIFTH INNING

Grano batting. Ground ball to shortstop. One out.

Andy Osmond batting. Earns a walk on six pitches.

Drew batting. Strikes out swinging. Two out.

Connecticut pitching change due to pitch count. Vivona pitching.

Cartnick singles.

J.R. Osmond grounds into fielder's choice. Three out.

Connecticut leads 9-2.

Vashey pitching.

Randazzo singles to left.

Righter grounds out, Daddio to Andy Osmond. O'Neil pinch-running for Randazzo, takes second. One out.

Iannazzo batting. O'Neil advances on a wild pitch. Iannazzo walks.

Vivona batting. Wild pitch, O'Neil scores. Iannazzo to second. Iannazzo to third on a wild pitch. Vivona walks.

Bauer batting. Vivona tries to steal on 1-1. Caught in a rundown. Two out. Bauer walks.

New Jersey pitching change. Andy Osmond pitching.

Ashkinos batting. Wild pitch, Bauer to second. Ashkinos hits a fly to short center that falls in for a single. Bauer scores. Game over.

Connecticut wins, 12-2.

Play-by-play recap compiled by Karen Wall (Patch Staff)