Fairfield National, the Connecticut and Metro Region champions, are off to a 4-0 start at the Little League Baseball World Series. The Metro representative defeated Lamar of Richmond, Texas, in the LLWS opener, then came from behind to down Honolulu, Hawaii in the second game last Friday. On Monday, Fairfield National used a 10-run sixth inning to dismantle Sioux Falls, S.D. In the most recent game Wednesday, they battled back from an early three-run deficit to beat Summerlin South of Las Vegas, 7-3. Here's more about the players who make up this team:
Logan Gryga
No. 3Position: OutfielderBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 4-foot-10 Gryga battled in his two at bats in the win over Nevada on Wednesday. Gryga scored the lone run in the lone loss for the team so far, back in the second game of the Metro Region against New York representative St. James/Smithtown.
Ben Herbst
No. 4Positions: RF, 3B, PBats: Left Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-4 Herbst threw a runner out at the plate to end the third inning of Wednesday's win over Nevada. He also singled and scored an insurance run in the sixth on Boden Dunlap's triple. Herbst blooped a single into center field in the top of the fifth inning of the LLWS opener against Texas. Dante Madera just beat the relay throw home, and Herbst drove in the lone run in support of Luca Pelligrini in a 1-0 victory. He had one of the consecutive RBI singles in the 13-1 rout of South Dakota.
Charlie McCullough
No. 5Positions: 2B/PBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-2 McCullough was part of the game-tying rally in the win over Nevada on Wednesday. He reached on catcher's interference and later scored on SJ Taxiltaridis' game-tying, two-run single. McCullough also helped turn a nifty 6-4-3 double play in the Nevada game. McCullough reached on an error in the top of the fifth inning of the Hawaii game. The play allowed Boden Dunlap and Joe Sorrentino to score for a 3-1 lead. McCullough had an RBI single in that huge 12-run sixth inning that propelled Fairfield National to the 13-1 victory over South Dakota.
Luca Pellegrini
No. 6Positions: P, SSBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-3 Pellegrini made two back-handed stops at shortstop in the win over Nevada on Wednesday, including one with one out and runners on second and third base in the fourth inning. Pellegrini shut down Texas on the mound in a 1-0 win in his team's LLWS opener. In the Hawaii game, Pellegrini started the game-ending double play by fielding a grounder from his shortstop position, stepping on second base and firing to first. Pellegrini leads the team in RBI with two, and he has a double for one of his team's two extra-base hits. Against South Dakota, he earned his second win in the LLWS by tossing another complete game, allowing just one unearned run on two hits. Pellegrini struck out six and walked three.
Dante Madera
No. 7Positions: CFBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-1 Madera made yet another highlight-reel catch on Wednesday in the win over Nevada, sprinting back on a ball over his head and catching it on the very edge of the webbing of his glove. Madera started not one, but two great relay plays in the win over Hawaii. Hawaii scored the game's first run in the third inning, but Madera got the ball to first baseman Tommy D'Amura, who fired home to catcher Jimmy Taxiltaridis for the final out. In the fourth inning, Madera cut in front of right fielder Ben Herbst on a base hit, threw to first baseman SJ Taxiltaridis, who relayed home to Jimmy Taxiltaridis for another big out. Madera has handled seven chances in the outfield without an error. He opened eyes with multiple acrobatic catches during the Metro Region tournament. Against South Dakota in the LLWS, Madera was one of four players who had consecutive singles in the top of the sixth inning as Fairfield routed S.D. 13-1.
Joe Sorrentino
No. 8Positions: LFBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-1 Sorrentino had two putouts in left field in the win over Nevada on Wednesday. Sorrentino walked twice and scored a run in the win over Hawaii. His two-out walk in the top of the fifth inning kept the rally going. Brian Palazzolo drew the game-tying walk, then four more Fairfield National runs came home.
Brian Palazzolo
No. 12Positions: 3BBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-2 Palazzolo singled, walked and scored two runs in the win over Nevada on Wednesday. Palazzolo was down in the count, 1-2, with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning against Hawaii. The manager's son took the next three pitches for balls and walked to tie the score. Palazzolo's team erupted for four more runs after that to overtake Hawaii.
SJ Taxiltaridis
No. 14Positions: SS, P, 1BBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-10 Taxiltaridis gave up three first-inning runs against Nevada, but settled in after and lasted into the sixth inning of the win Wednesday. At the plate, he had two hits and two RBI. Taxiltaridis made a great relay throw to catcher and twin brother Jimmy Taxiltaridis at the plate for a big out in the fourth inning against Hawaii. That kept Fairfield National's deficit at a single run. The Connecticut representative scored five times in the top of the fifth inning to take the game over. Hard-throwing pitcher has challenged batters with his fastball, at one point calling off his brother and letting a Hawaii batter know he was throwing fastball.
Tommy D'Amura
No. 15Positions: 1B, PBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-8 D'Amura blasted a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning, then recorded the final two outs in the bottom half in the win over Nevada on Wednesday. D'Amura's accurate relay throw to Jimmy Taxiltaridis at the plate for the third out kept Hawaii from adding a second run on Josh Tanaka's RBI double in the fourth inning. D'Amura was the winning pitcher against Hawaii after providing three scoreless innings of relief. Against South Dakota, D'Amua's line drive just got past S.D. outfielder Bohde Larson, who attempted a diving catch. That triple tied the game at 1-1.
Colin Curley
No. 16Positions: OFBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-4 Curley doubled and walked twice in the win over Nevada on Wednesday. Curley drove in a run in the 2-1 win over New Jersey in the Metro Region opener, then added a hit and two more RBIs in the 12-1 championship victory over New York. In the 13-1 win over South Dakota in the Little League World Series, Curley's RBI double in the fourth inning made it 3-1.
Jimmy Taxiltaridis
No. 17Positions: CBats: Right Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-9 Taxiltaridis has been a rock behind the plate for Fairfield National. He came up the line on a throw from right fielder Ben Herbst and tagged out a runner trying to score in the win over Nevada on Wednesday. At the plate, he had two hits. Taxiltaridis caught each inning in the first two games, and he caught relay throws and made key tags at the plate twice against Hawaii. Taxiltaridis has a double for one of the Connecticut representative's two extra-base hits. He drove in the go-ahead run against South Dakota on a RBI double and also added an RBI single in the 10-run sixth inning for Fairfield National.
Boden Dunlap
No. 19Positions: P/OFBats: Left Throws: RightYou should know: The 5-11 Dunlap blasted an RBI triple off the left field wall and later scored in the sixth inning of Wednesday's win over Nevada. Dunlap singled with one out in the top of the fifth inning against Hawaii to keep the line moving for Fairfield National. He later came around the score during the five-run outburst. In the big 10-run sixth inning against South Dakota in the LLWS, Dunlap had the big hit: a two-run double.
Coaching staff
Coaches: Tom Curley, Dave Gryga.Manager: Brian Palazzolo.