FAIRFIELD – Hundreds of local baseball fans who can’t make it to Lamade Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday afternoon will crowd into watch parties throughout town to watch Fairfield National host Nevada in the U.S. Little League Championship game.
After Nevada scored three runs in the top of the 6th inning Thursday night to go up 5-3 and hold off Irma, South Carolina, in the bottom half of the inning, Fairfield National knew who its opponent would be in Saturday’s title game. The winner of that contest goes on to the Little League Championship game against the winner of the International champion that will also be decided Saturday when Santa Cruz, Aruba, takes on Tapei, Taiwan.
From Black Rock Turnpike in Stratfield to Main Street Downtown, local businesses show signs of support for the Metro Region champion Fairfield National team. And watch parties are planned at Saugatuck Sweets at 28 Reef Road and Elicit Brewing at 111 Black Rock Turnpike, which has already several such parties as Fairfield has advanced since Aug. 13.
No matter the outcome of Saturday’s game and possibly Sunday’s game, the Town of Fairfield is planning a parade to honor the team Monday, Aug. 25, at 5:30 p.m.starting at Dairy Queen on Post Road and ending at Sherman Green. The players will ride in a Fairfield Fire Department ladder truck escorted by police vehicles, according to Lisa Clair, Town of Fairfield communications director.
Al DiGuido, owner of Saugatuck Sweets, has placed banners that read simply “Fairfield Win!” in front of his shop and across the street on the Sherman Green gazebo.
“Some of you may know that the Fairfield National Little League team is playing the final on Saturday!” DiGuido posted on his Linked In and Facebook pages. “Saugatuck Sweets Fairfield; our business in the center of town long been a supporter of the team…The banner below was hung outside a week before the World Series started ! We are all very excited!”
There is a sign inside the downtown Fairfield Public Library and a chalkboard that cheers on the FNLL team outside Trader Joe’s on Black Rock Turnpike.
“This is incredibly exciting,” DiGuido said. “It’s pretty wild. They’re all great kids, great parents, great fans, great coaches. Brian Palzzolo’s a great coach. They are really sincere. They work hard. You can see it in the games they play. When they are down, they come back. They’re never out of game.
“It’s great for Fairfield. We’ve had kids coming in here. Parents coming in here. They’re all talking about it.”
Even the politicians have shown their fandom.
Acting First Selectman Christine Vitale mentioned the team in her weekly newsletter.
“Who needs to wait until October for World Series excitement? she wrote Little League fever is sweeping Fairfield as we rally to cheer on our state, regional, and hopefully world champions, the Fairfield National Little League (FNLL) team.
“I would like to thank Chief of Community Services Anthony Calabrese for working with Elicit Brewing Company to coordinate family watch parties. We wish we could all be in Williamsport, PA, rooting from the stands, but it is great to have the opportunity for fans to gather here in town to watch the games.
State Sen. Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield) issued a statement following Thursday’s win against Nevada.
“What an incredible journey it has been for our Fairfield National Little League team!” he said. “These remarkable young athletes have not only gone 4-0 to reach the U.S. Championship game at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA; they have also shown the entire world what it means to play with heart, trust, and friendship.
“Yes, their success on the field has been outstanding. But what has touched us all even more is how these 11-12-year-olds have carried themselves – with genuine caring, support, and joy for each other
