The fifth inning was the big inning Friday night for the Fairfield National Little League team against Hawaii in the Little League World Series.
On Monday night, it was the sixth inning where Fairfield did most of its damage.
The Connecticut team scored 10 runs in the top of the sixth inning to beat Sioux Falls, South Dakota 13-1 for its third straight win in the Little League World Series.
Fairfield, the Metro Region champion, will face Nevada in the next game Wednesday at 3 p.m. If Fairfield wins, the team will advance to the U.S. championship game Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Fairfield’s ace Luca Pellegrini, who struck out 11 in the 1-0 first game victory over Texas last week, was the starter Monday night. He struck out seven and gave up two hits.
South Dakota had Murphy Seefeldt, its No. 2 pitcher, on the mound. Seefeldt threw 88 pitches and left in the top of the sixth after striking out seven and giving up five hits and three runs. He was relieved by Connor Felderman after 5 1/3 innings and Fairfield proceeded to get six straight hits off Felderman and scored five runs and Felderman was relieved by Landon Vavruska, still with one out. When the dust settled, Fairfield had batted around and scored 10 runs to lead 13-1.
Fairfield, Conn.’s Charlie McCullough throws to first base against Sioux Falls, S.D., during the second inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in South Williamsport, Pa. (AP Photo/Caleb Craig)
“It was just awesome how everyone could hit and stay on track,” Tommy D’Amura told ESPN after the game.
Fairfield had 13 hits, with D’Amura going 2 for 3 with a triple and three RBI and Jimmy Taxiltaridis going 2 for 2 with two RBI and Pellegrini, 2 for 3 with an RBI, Nine of the 12 Connecticut players got hits Monday.
South Dakota scored in the bottom of the first inning when Devin Aukes reached on a fielder’s choice, moved to second on an error by first baseman Tommy D’Amura and scored on a single to center by Kenson Henderson. Pellegrini struck out Landon Vavruska to end the inning.
But Fairfield took the lead in the top of the fourth when Logan Gryga walked and with two outs, Tommy D’Amura tripled to center, scoring Gryga. The Connecticut went ahead when Jimmy Taxiltaridis doubled in D’Amura to take a 2-1 lead.
Fairfield, Conn.’s Ben Herbst (4) crosses home plate against Sioux Falls, S.D., during the fifth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in South Williamsport, Pa. (AP Photo/Caleb Craig)
In the fifth inning, Colin Curley doubled in Ben Herbst to give Fairfield a 3-1 lead.
Fairfield got out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth, after Pellegrini walked two with two out and Greyson Rehfeldt hit a ball to SJ Taxiltaridis, the shortstop, who threw to first for a close play which was called an out.
There was one out in the sixth when South Dakota brought in Felderman. Pellegrini started off with a single, followed by singles by SJ Taxiltaridis, D’Amura, SJ’s twin brother Jimmy, Dante Madera and Ben Herbst and South Dakota struggled to stop the onslaught. There were 14 batters in the inning before SJ Taxiltaridis ended it with a flyout to shortstop.
Pellegrini got three outs easily in the bottom of the sixth, striking out Tate Schneider to end the game.
Originally Published: August 18, 2025 at 4:33 PM EDT