Fairfield Denied By Rhode Island, 10-6

Aug. 10--BRISTOL -- The Fairfield American Little League team's summer ended one win short of a New England Regional championship and berth in the Little League World Series.

Cumberland (R.I.) booked its trip to Williamsport, Pa., defeating Fairfield 10-6 Saturday in the New England title game at Breen Field at the Giamatti Center.

"It was a great run, we had a great summer," said Fairfield manager Mike Steed.

After committing one error in its previous five games, Fairfield had three errors Saturday night. Steed said playing a nationally televised game could have his team.

"I'm not blaming errors on our loss. Rhode Island is a great hitting team," he said.

On Tuesday, Fairfield beat Cumberland 5-3 on a walk-off home run. Cumberland got the best of Fairfield when it counted most and will play the Southwest champion, Pearland (Texas), on Friday night.

"Unfortunately, tonight was not our night with a lot at stake," said Steed.

Cumberland (12-1 overall, 5-1 in New England play) took control in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-out, five-run rally. With Nick Croteau at the plate, Mason Matos, a pinch runner for Trey Bourque, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored on a wild pitch. Croteau hit a double, and Christopher Davock followed with a single.

Jayden Struble singled home Croteau, and Addison Kopack hit an RBI single that brought in two runs after a throwing error. Kopack scored on a wild pitch to increase the lead to three runs.

"We knew we had to hit, and we did," said Cumberland manager David Belisle.

Cumberland tacked on two insurance runs in the fifth. Matos' first hit at the regional was a solo home run to right, and two batters later, Struble hit his second double of the game, driving in Croteau.

Fairfield's rally in the sixth fell short. Brian Kiremidjian's one-out single that drove in Sam Davenport cut the deficit to four, but Davock struck out two of the last four batters, and Fairfield (16-3, 4-2) left the bases loaded.

"We battled to the end, had the tying run at the plate. You can't ask for anything more than that," said Steed.

Said Davock: "It was a great feeling because we had been practicing really hard for it."

Davock pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed three hits and one run while striking out two.

Croteau earned the win, allowing four earned runs on six hits while striking out five in 4 1/3 innings. PJ Egan, who struck out four and allowed three earned runs over 3 2/3 innings, took the loss. Brian Howell allowed two earned runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief.

Kiremidjian broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run homer to left-center in the second. Both teams went scoreless until Cumberland's big fourth inning.

Fairfield jumped on Cumberland early, scoring three runs in the top of the first. With two runners on base, Howell hit an infield single, and a throwing error by Kopack allowed Kiremidjian, who led off with a walk, to score. The next batter, Vince Camera, grounded out to third, but Jamie Flink, who singled, ran home on the throw to increase the lead to two runs. Two batters later, Jack Steed hit an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-0.

It didn't take Cumberland long to answer. With the bases loaded and one out, Davock scored on a wild pitch. Tyler Provost hit a ground ball under Steed's glove at second base and two runs scored to tie it.

In 2011, Cumberland's last appearance at the Little League World Series, the New England champion went 0-2. Belisle was the manager of that team as well.

"I'm blessed with 25 great ballplayers, 13 in 2011 and the 12 boys behind me," he said.

Fairfield, the state champion four of the past five years, was trying to become the third straight team from Fairfield County to advance to the Little League World Series. Fairfield American made it to Williamsport in 2010 and 2012. Westport represented New England last season and advanced to the U.S. title game.

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