Fairfield National Advances in Little League World Series

Connecticut’s Fairfield National team is now closer to securing the Little League World Series title after a decisive 7-3 win against the Summerlin South Little League from Las Vegas on Wednesday. The team’s success was attributed to solid defense, timely hitting, and resilient pitching performances.

The game didn’t start off in Fairfield’s favor; they fell behind when Summerlin’s slugger hit a three-run homer in the first inning off pitcher SJ Taxiltaridis. But Fairfield rallied back, tying the game in the third inning with a two-run single, following shortstop Luka Pellegrini’s RBI single that scored the first run.

From that point on, Fairfield tightened their defense. In the third inning, center fielder Dante Madera made an impressive catch, sprinting toward the wall to secure a flyout, while right fielder Ben Herbst handled a home run attempt to end the inning.

Taxiltaridis faced another challenge in the fourth, as Summerlin loaded the bases with two outs, but he struck out Mason Schutte to escape the jam, showcasing his determination.

In the fifth inning, with two outs, Pellegrini got another hit, a bloop single to center field, pushing Fairfield ahead 4-3. They continued to shine defensively, executing a flawless 6-4-3 double play to close out the inning.

Fairfield extended their lead in the sixth with a solo home run from Tommy Damra, followed by a two-RBI triple from Boden Dunlap. A passed ball later allowed another run to score, making it 7-3.

The team’s top four hitters—Pellegrini, Taxiltaridis, Damra, and Jimmy Taxiltaridis—each had two hits and combined for five RBIs, demonstrating their offensive strength. Taxiltaridis finished the game, allowing seven hits and three runs, while recording four strikeouts and two walks.

With the last two outs, D’Amura took over for Taxiltaridis, sealing the team’s victory and advancing them to the US title game scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

This marks Fairfield as Connecticut’s third team to reach the US LLWS Finals, joining Westport in 2013 and Trumbull in 1989.

On the other side, Summerlin is set to compete in Thursday’s loser bracket game, where the winner will face Fairfield in the US title match. If they emerge victorious, Fairfield will join Trumbull as the second team from Connecticut to reach the championship game in LLWS history.

The championship match is set to include the international winner, taking place on Sunday.