Little League World Series: Fairfield Stays Alive, Wallops Walla Walla

FAIRFIELD, CT — With their backs against the wall in an elimination game, Fairfield American came out swinging in the bottom of the fourth inning to score eight runs and erase a 5-2 deficit and roll to a 14-6 victory over Walla Walla, Washington in the Little League World Series Monday night at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. With the win, Fairfield advances to a rematch with Holbrook Little League, the Mid-Atlantic champions out of Jackson, New Jersey, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. Fairfield, the New England Regional and Connecticut state champions, defeated New Jersey 7-6 in its opening game last Thursday.

Down 5-2 against Walla Walla on Monday night, Sean O’Neil got things started for Fairfield in the bottom of the fourth inning by lifting a fly ball to center that fell between two outfielders for a double. Anthony Falletta followed with a single to put runners on first and third. (To sign up for Fairfield breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Christian Smith then tied things up with a towering three-run home run deep over the wall in center field to make it a 5-5 game. Fairfield didn’t stop there.

Griffin Dodder reached on a single and came around to score on a double to deep left by Ethan Righter. Michael Iannazzo followed with a single to left to make it 7-5.

After a pitching change, Iannazzo advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a ground out to second and scored on another wild pitch. Fairfield added two more runs to make it 10-5 heading into the fifth inning.

See also:

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

Tyler Bauer, who pitched the first five innings to earn the win, got two quick outs to start the fifth but Caiden Thomsen crushed a home run to center. The next batter, Hayden Lomeli, hit a blast to center that looked destined to be another home run, but Anthony Pollack made an incredible catch to take a home run away from Lomeli and get out of the inning.

The Fairfield bats stayed hot with four more runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a two-run home run by Iannazzo that went into the trees deep behind the center-field wall.

Matthew Vivona pitched a scoreless sixth inning to close out the 14-6 victory.

The start of the game was delayed for more than an hour due to rain and lightning in the area, but the victory was well worth the wait for Fairfield American.

“It’s a great team,” Smith told ESPN after the game. “Every player from the top of the lineup to the bottom of the lineup. It’s great. Everyone on this team has a hit in Williamsport.”