Fairfield knocks N.J. out of LLWS

Holbrook Little League has proven it has one of the best offenses in the world this summer, but for the second time in six days, the team from Jackson, N.J., couldn’t solve Fairfield, Conn., pitcher Ethan Righter.

Fairfield American bested Holbrook 12-2 in an elimination game Wednesday, knocking the team from Jackson, N.J., out of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. Fairfield advanced to play Greenville, N.C., on Thursday after the Southern representative beat Lufkin, Texas, 2-1. The winner of that game will advance to the United States championship game.

“I was telling the Connecticut pitcher that he’s the best pitcher I’ve ever seen in a game. He is unbelievable,” Holbrook manager Rob Grano told the Connecticut Post. “He’s so good. If you’re going to throw fastballs and curveballs and hit at the knee, that’s an unbelievable pitch. It was a lot of what he did and a lot less about what we didn’t do. I’ve got to hand it to him, he did well today.”

Holbrook scored 27 runs in its two victories at the World Series, but managed only eight in two games against Righter and Fairfield American. Righter struck out eight batters Wednesday while allowing two runs in four innings.

After Fairfield built an early 5-0 lead, Holbrook rallied with a run in the second and third innings. Troy Ashkinos put the game out of reach for Fairfield when he hammered a grand slam to center field in the fourth inning.

“The first pitch was a fastball and I was way out in front of it,” Ashkinos told the Connecticut Post. “I hit it really hard and I knew the kid was not going to throw another fastball so I just waited on it.”

Fairfield American reached Williamsport without losing, but lost 6-3 to the Lufkin, Texas, team in its second game. It has responded by winning two elimination games by a combined 26-8 margin.