Connecticut strikeout specialist edges N.J. in Little League World Series
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Chris Cartnick hit four home runs and had 10 RBIs for New Jersey in its Mid-Atlantic regional tournament. Ethan Righter of Connecticut struck out 18 over 9⅓ innings in the New England tournament.
On Thursday, in the first inning of their first game at the Little League World Series, the two faced each other at a key moment.
Righter had just surrendered a deep home run to Tai Mann of Jackson, N.J., with Cartnick, who has picked up the nickname Diesel, coming to the plate.
Unlike many little leaguers, Righter displayed no signs of frustration after allowing his first run in three games. He fought Cartnick for nine pitches before striking him out on a high fastball, something not many pitchers have been able to accomplish this year.
Fairfield, Conn., then built a five-run lead before hanging on for a 7-6 win.
“I was just trying to get them to put the ball in play and get outs,” said Righter, who gave up four hits and bounced on the mound when a couple of calls went against him. “I knew my defense would back me up.”
Righter settled into a groove after sitting Cartnick down. He struck out the side in the second inning and allowed only one run more in 3⅔ innings before reaching the 85-pitch limit. He finished with seven strikeouts.
Fairfield took a 7-2 lead into the sixth inning, but Cartnick wasn’t done. Delighted to see a different pitcher in the game, Cartnick crushed a two-run homer to left-center off Michael Iannazzo to spark a four-run rally. But Tyler Bauer subbed in as a reliever and closed out the game.