Fairfield Scores and Standings: July 26

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After an off day, the Fairfield 12-year-old softball team returned to action in the New England Regionals on Monday and defeated Maine 17-3 at the Giamatti Little League Complex.

Alice Nelson drove in three runs and Gabby Natoli tossed a three-hitter for Fairfield (3-0), which is the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

Fairfield can clinch the top seed with a win over Rhode Island on Tuesday (7 p.m.) in the final game of pool play. It has outscored its  opponents in the tournament by a margin of 44-10.

The regionals semifinals and finals are Thursday and Friday, respectively, followed by the New England-Mid Atlantic championship game on Saturday, when a berth in the 12-year-old World Series in Portland, Ore., will be on the line.

Fairfield broke open the game open with six runs in the second and nine in the fifth, when the contest was stopped because of the mercy rule.

Fairfield stole nine bases and took advantage of eight wild pitches and two passed balls.

Amateur David Pastore of Greenwich emerged as the leader after the first round of the 77th Connecticut Open at the Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield.

Pastore, who plays out of the eClub of Fairfield, stole the spotlight from 71 of the area's top professionals by shooting a sizzling 5-under par 66 Monday to grab a two-shot lead.

Pastore, the 2009 Connecticut Public Links chanpion,  had only one bogey on the day to go with four birdies and an eagle, which came on the uphill 463-yard par five eighth hole.  Pastore is looking to become the first amateur to win the Open since Jeff Hedden from Black Hall Club took home the trophy at Round Hill Club in 2008.

Hedden, who won the New England Amateur last week, is also in the field and is six shots back after an opening round 72.

Among local players, Wilton's Brian Murphy, who plays out of Brooklawn is tied for fourth after a 2-under 69.  At 71 are Redding's Jim St. Pierre, a former champion, and Norwalk's Gerry Courville.

Weston's Bernie D'Amato and Stamford's Mike Ballo Jr., who plays out of Woodway, are tied for 35th after carding 74s. Wilton's John Murphy is tied for 49th after a 75.

Danbury's Bensel and New Haven's Evan Beirne are tied for second at 68. Other former champs near the leaderboard include Kevin Giancola from Canton, Conn. (71), Steve Sokol from Orange Hills Country Club (74) and defending champion Kyle Gallo (74).

In the last 14 years, Gallo has won the Connecticut Open a record-tying four times.

Play will resume on Tuesday at at 7 a.m. with tee times running until 2:20 pm.  Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 40 players, including ties, for the final round on Wednesday.

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