Fairfield National Topples Stamford North To Advance To Section One Final (Broadcast of game included)

Fairfield National Little League defeated Stamford North 15-0 in three innings in the Section One Tournament on Sunday afternoon in Milford. Fairfield advances to the Section One Championship next Sunday. They will face the winner of Hamden and Stamford North, who play next Saturday. 

Brady Takacs led off the game by drilling a full count offering over the wall in left-center field to give Fairfield a quick 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Nick Crosley hit a pop-up to short right field and an infield fly rule. However, the ball fell between the second baseman and the right fielder. Jimmy Dobbs was able to come in and score on the play to give National a 2-0 lead. 

Fairfield broke the game open in the second inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Nick Garofalo was hit by a pitch and Dobbs walked to increase National's lead to 4-0. The next batter, Henry Vincent singled to right field to bring in two more runs and increase the lead to 6-0.

Later in the inning, Crosley doubled off the wall in right field to bring in two more runs to make it 8-0. Crosley moved to third on a wild pitch and then came in to score as Tommy Galvin reached first on an error. 

The offense just kept on coming in the third inning. With on on and one out, Garofalo drove a 1-2 pitch deep down the left field line and snuck it just inside the foul pole for a two-run home run to make it 11-0. 

A walk to Dobbs and singles by Vincent and Dylan McDonald loaded the bases. Crosley then walked to force in a run and make it 12-0 as the bases remained loaded. Vincent then came in from third to score on a wild pitch before the scoring was capped on a two-run pinch hit double by Kellan Gilligan. 

On the mound for Fairfield, Garofalo allowed one hit and walked two, while striking out five in the rule-rule shortened three inning game. 

You can hear the broadcast as Rob Adams and I had the call on Robcasting Radio. Follow Rob, Robcasting Radio and myself on Twitter for updates about the broadcast of the championship game and more. 

We called the game wearing masks....We do what is asked of us. I am betting I could not be heard....considering it's tough to hear me normally. 

Dobbs Pitches Fairfield National Past Hamden In First Sectional Game

Jimmy Dobbs' complete-game lifted Fairfield National Little League Past Hamden by a 3-1 score in the first game of the Section One Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Ralph Clarkson Field in Milford. 

Fairfield National got on the board in the bottom half of the first. Nick Garofalo doubled to left with one out. Dobbs then reached on an infield single on a high chopper up the third baseline as Garofalo moved to third. Dobbs moved up to second on defensive in-difference before and groundout to third off the bat of Henry Vincent brought Garofalo home. 

Hamden tied up the score in the third. Eric Jagielew walked to lead off the inning. He moved to second of a wild pitch. With one out, Nate Marczak reached on an error and Jagielew moved to third. Two batters later, with two outs, Kam Gamm hit a popup to short right field that was dropped and allowed Jagielew to come in to score and tie the game at one. 

Fairfield National took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Dobbs reached on an error and moved to second on a wild pitch. Vincent lined a soft single into center field and Dobbs moved to third. Vincent would move to second on defensive in-difference. Then, back-to-back wild pitches allowed Dobbs and Vincent to come in and score and give National a 3-1 lead. 

That would be more than enough for Dobbs. He threw a complete game, allowing one unearned run on three hits, while walking two and striking out six. 

Fairfield National will be back in action on Sunday at noon against Stamford North. 

Rob Adams and I broadcast today's game on Robcasting Radio. We will have the rest of Fairfield National's games in the Section One Tournament and Robcasting will have the state tournament in Stamford, whether Fairfield National makes it or not. 

Fairfield National Defeats Fairfield American To Win District Two Title

Fairfield National Little League defeated Fairfield American 4-1 to win the 12-year-old District 2 Championship on Tuesday night at Blackham School in Bridgeport. It's the first District title for Fairfield National.

Fairfield American took the first lead of the game in the second inning as Ian Moore connected on a home run to deep left field that was a no-doubter off the bat. 

Fairfield National came right back and tied the game at one in the bottom half of the inning. Henry Vincent led off the inning with a double to right. Two batter later, Dylan McDonald singled to bring in Vincent and tie the game. 

National took the lead in the third. Nick Garofalo reached on an error leading off the inning. Two batters later, with runners at second and third, Vincent grounded out to first base allowing Garofalo to come home and put National up 2-1. They had an opportunity to add on as Nate Jackson hit a fly ball to medium-deep center field and the runner tried to score. He successfully beat the throw home but was called out on appeal for leaving third base too soon. 

Fairfield National was able to extend their lead in the fifth. With two outs and nobody on, Jimmy Dobbs was intentionally walked. That brought up Vincent who drove the first pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run home run to give National a 4-1 lead.

On the mound for National Nick Garofalo was terrific. He threw five innings allowing one run, on one hit - the home run, while walking two and striking out six. Garofalo was named District tournament MVP. Tommy Galvin picked up the save, working around a hit to throw a scoreless sixth. 

Although it came in defeat, Nate Swinford was solid on the mound for American. He threw four and two thirds innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits. He walked three and struck out seven. 

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I had a blast once again joining Rob Adams on Robcasting Radio for Fairfield American's run. Thank you to the coaches, players and families for all their help and was great to get to know you. Always love covering little league baseball and any sports in Fairfield. Hopefully more with Fairfield National going forward. Either way, it's been fun to cover Fairfield American (and Fairfield National) again. 

Fairfield National Tops Fairfield American, Forces Winner-Take-All Game

FNLL's Jimmy Dobb's pitcher to a FALL hitter 

Fairfield National (FNLL) 12 district little league defeated Fairfield American (FALL) 8-1 in the first game of the Championship Series in the District Two Tournament. The National win forces a winner-take-all championship game on Tuesday at 5pm at Blackham School in Bridgeport. 

American took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but that was the only run they could muster all game, as they left seven on base on the day. 

In the first, Brennan Davis worked out a two-out walk and Nate Swinford singled to put two men on. The next batter, Ian Moore doubled to deep-left field to plate Davis. FALL had a chance for more but a runner was caught between third and home on a wild pitch to end the inning. 

National tied the game and took the lead in the bottom half of the frame. Nick Garafalo and Jimmy Dobbs worked back-to-back one-out walks before Henry Vincent singled to center to bring home Garafalo to tie the game. Two batters later, Dylan McDonald doubled to left field to bring in Dobbs and Vincent and give FNLL a 3-1 lead. 

FALL got the first two men on in the second and two men with less than two outs in the third, but could not do any damage. 

FNLL added another run in the bottom of the second. With runners at second and third and one out after Jake Capolla reached on a fielders choice and Brady Takacs doubled, Garofalo grounded out to first bade to bring in Capolla. National held a 4-1 lead. 

The game was broken open in the fourth. With two on and two out, Dobbs singled to left to bring in Capolla. The next batter, Vincent tripled to left field on a ball the took a funny bounce off the turn and rolled all the way to the fence to bring in Garofalo and Dobbs to put FNLL up 7-1. 

FNLL capped the scoring in the fifth. McDonald reached on an error to lead off the inning. The ground ball went all the way to the wall and McDonald ended up a third base. Four batters later, with two out and runners at second and third, Takacs reached on an infield single to shortstop and McDonald came in to score. 

Jimmy Dobbs was terrific on the mound for National. He threw 6/2 innings, allowing one run of four hits and striking out five and walking five. He came out as he reached the maximum pitch count. Tommy Galvin three two pitches to close out the victory.  

Here's the broadcast as Rob Adams and I had the call on Robcasting Radio. 

Remembering 19 Years Ago, Supporting Friends and High School Sports

19 Years. September 11th, 2001. An awful day for the country with the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in NY and the Pentagon in DC. 

We all have memories from that day. I wrote last year about my memories. As I got older and heard more stories and read things, I have learned more, obviously, even at six years old, I knew it was a bad day We think about all those who were lost. I think about my cousins, who lost their cousin in the towers that day. I also know people who lost family members due to long-term health effects of being down near the towers. 

We think of all the first responders. I think of my family in law-enforcement. We think of the civilians who helped out. Those who survived. Those who lost their lives. We remember. We honor. We NEVER FORGET! 

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Continued thoughts are with my friend Rob Adams, who lost his mother last Friday. Only met Mrs. Adams once but a nice lady who I enjoyed reading about her life through her Facebook and Rob's Facebook and blog posts. Rob did a tremendous job taking care of her this past year, and the past number of years. Please go read Rob's blog posts, especially those from this past week, on his mother and his family. 

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I realize in comparison to the last two items, the next topic means very little......

High School fall sports in CT have been a big discussion for months due to the pandemic. As of now, everything other than football still will be played. There is still no final decision on football as the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC), the governing body of high school athletics, is going back and forth with the Department of Public Health. Hopefully we will have a decision one way or another very soon. We need to. We'll see that the Fall and the rest of the school year holds for  school and sports. 

Fairfield National Powers Way Past Fairfield American in District 2 Pool Play

Fairfield National's Nate Jackson delivers a pitch during the fifth inning

On the strength of two home runs, Fairfield National Little League defeated Fairfield American 6-3 in pool play of the District 2 tournament on Wednesday night at Blackham School in Bridgeport. 

Fairfield American got off to a strong start, scoring three runs in the first inning. Ian Moore led off the game with a single to center. Four batters later, with runners on first and second, Nate Swineford singled to center to bring in Moore. 

Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Cole Krollman singed to center to bring in Brennan Davis, who had walked, and Swineford to put American up 3-0. 

National came right back in the bottom half of the inning. Nick Garfalo singled with one out, the next batter, Jimmy Dobbs homered to right-center field to cut the American lead to 3-2. 

National would tie the game an inning later. Nate Jackson led off with an infield single to shortstop. After a strikeout, Jake Capola walked and Brady Takacs singled to right to load the bases. The next batter, Garfalo, worked a full-count walk to bring in Jackson and tie the game at three. 

After the three-run first inning, American would be shut down offensively for the remainder of the game, managing just two hits over the final five innings against three National pitchers. Garafolo picked up the win, throwing four innings, allowing three runs on three hits, while striking out six, walking two and hitting one. Jackson threw two-thirds of an inning, bridging the gap to Tommy Galvin, who picked up the save. 

National broke the scoreless tie in the fourth. Galvin reached on a lead-off walk. After back-to-back strikeouts, Garfalo, the left-handed batter, drove all ball to the opposite field that easily cleared the left-field fence and landed on the field on other main field in the complex. 

American had their chances, as they left eight men on base, including leaving the bases loaded in both the fifth and sixth innings. 

National improves to 1-0, American drops to 1-1 in District 2 Pool Play. 

Here's the broadcast as Rob Adams and I had the call on Robcasting Radio.