Fairfield American Advances To District Two Final With 11-3 Win Over Fairfield National

There couldn't possibly be anyone better to talk to this year's Fairfield American All-Stars about the postseason than last year's Little League World Series heroes, who advised the current team to not look past the next game.

So far, it has put that piece of wisdom to good use as Fairfield American advanced to the district final for the third straight year Tuesday with a 11-3 victory over rival Fairfield National at Blackham School.

Brendan Flynn belted a three-run home run and drove in four runs for Fairfield American, which improved to 7-0 in the postseason. It will play in the final on Saturday against either Westport or Fairfield National, who will meet in the loser's bracket final on Friday.

"We borrowed on last year's experience," Fairfield American coach Kevin Flynn said. "We asked them to come down and talk to the kids, tell them how difficult it was and what made it special and what they had to do.

"Their advice was the same as what the coaches have been saying - one game at a time. We can't look past Fairfield National or whomever we play on Saturday. There's a long way between now and (the regionals in Bristol)."  

After bulding a 6-0 lead Tuesday, there were a few anxious moments for Fairfield American in the bottom of the fifth as Jono Zarrilli's RBI double off the center-field fence made it 6-3. Zarrilli just missed a three-run homer that would have pulled Fairfield National within 6-5.

Fairfield American responded with five runs in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of a key error to put away the contest.

Starting pitcher Eddie Schwartz, whio struck out nine in 3 1/3 innings, and Grant Carnemark had RBI hits before Flynn's blast capped the scoring.

As in Monday's 11-4 win over Westport, Fairfield American produced a number of big two-outs hits. In fact, all 11 runs came with two outs. Key two-hits was one of the trademarks of last year's club.

"We've scored a lot of runs with two outs before," Flynn added. "We have a history, last year, this year, of coming from behind. As long as we play our brand of baseball, we know we can hit, and hitting is cantagious."

Fairfield American grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second on RBI singles by Brendan Bucher and No. 9 hitter Aidan Kudzy. In the third, Flynn and pinch hitter Brendan Layne delivered RBI singles before Kudzy's two-run single made it 6-0.

Sanchez scattered three hits and walked two before giving way to Flynn, who pitched the final 2 2/3 innings.

"Our bats weren't alive," Fairfield National coach Luis Garcia said. "We had dead bats. They came alive too late and you can't give a team like that five outs in the big rally in that inning. It hurt us." 

Fairfield National climbed back into the game with three runs in the fifth, scoring on a wild pitch, Hunter Rempe's infield single and RBI doubles by Jack Cohen and Zarrilli. 

"(Fairfield American vs. Fairfield National) has always been a rivalry," said Garcia, whose team beat Westport in pool play. "It always will be. The better team always come out on top  We're going to come back, we're going to win three in a row and move on. We're ready. We're prepared for going three days. We've got the pitching.

But the elder Flynn knows his team is in the driver's seat.

"Reaching the finals) is huge because now we have everyone available to play for Saturday," he said. "We go into Saturday with no losses and whoever we play has one loss. And whoever we play against us has had to play Friday."