Little League World Series: Dream Season Ends For Fairfield American

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield American’s dream season has come to an end, one win short of qualifying for the U.S. Championship Game in the Little League World Series. Texas, the only team to beat Fairfield during this amazing postseason run that began two months ago, eliminated Fairfield with a 14-4 victory in a game that was stopped in the fifth inning by the Mercy Rule.

Fairfield American, the New England Regional and Connecticut state champions, advanced to Thursday night’s game with an impressive 12-2 victory over New Jersey on Wednesday 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. (To sign up for Fairfield breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Fairfield American has found itself in a quick hole on Thursday night, trailing 8-0 at the end of the first inning.

Texas stormed out of the gate, finding plenty of holes with their hits and capitalizing on some defensive miscues by Fairfield. The big blow of the inning came on a three-run home run to center by Collin Ross to give Texas a quick 3-0 lead.

Congratulations to Fairfield American on an amazing season!

Read more of the game recap below:

SECOND INNING

Fairfield went down 1-2-3 in the second. Texas is coming to bat.

Texas added another run and Troy Ashkinos relieved Matthew Vivona with two outs and got out of the inning when Michael Iannazzo fielded a hard smash at shortstop.

Texas leads 9-0 heading into the top of the third inning.

THIRD INNING

Fairfield is on the board! Leo Randazzo drew a one-out walk and Michael Iannazzo followed with a two-run home run to the opposite field in left. Vivona lifted a single to second but Texas got out of the inning when their second baseman made a nice leaping catch on a line drive off the bat of Tyler Bauer.

Texas leads 9-2 going into the bottom of the third inning.

Texas added three more runs to make it a 12-2 game and Fairfield needs to score at least one more run to keep its season alive (the game will be stopped by the 10-run Mercy Rule if Fairfield doesn't score at least one more run).

FOURTH INNING

Griffin Dodder reached first on a wild pitch on a third strike and Aidan Rivera was hit by a pitch in the helmet to put runners on first and second with no outs. Texas got the next two outs but Sean O’Neill came through in the clutch by lining a double to left to drive in a run and make it a 12-3 game and keep Fairfield’s season alive.

Texas gets out of the jam and heads into the bottom of the fourth with a 12-3 lead.

First two batters reached and the potential winning run moved to third on a groundout to second. The second out was recorded on a pop up to shortstop and Dodder got a huge called strike three to end the inning. It's 12-3 Texas heading into the top of the fifth inning.

FIFTH INNING

Iannazzo was robbed of a home run on a shot to center. The next batter, Vivona, cleared the center field wall with a no-doubt home run to make it a 12-4 game. Texas gets out of the inning.

Texas loads the bases with no outs and scores two runs to win 14-4.

See also:

• Little League World Series: Meet The New England Champions
• Fairfield American Gears Up For Little League World Series
• Little League World Series: Texas Outlasts Fairfield American
• Fairfield American Reaches Little League World Series With Historic Win