Fairfield American, with 8-3 win, battles for state championship

Fairfield American continued its streak of unbeaten excellence Wednesday with an 8-3 win over Farmington at the Nike fields in Shelton, capturing the Section 1 championship.

Fairfield American was led by starting pitcher Nick Nardone, who carried the team with his glove, bat and arm.

"He's been solid all summer long," Fairfield American Head Coach Chris Daley said of his ace. "He did it on the mound and at the plate."

Nardone pitching 5 1/3 innings, struck out seven and dominated a comeback-prone Farmington lineup with an electric fastball.

After two scoreless innings, Nardone set the tone at the plate for the rest of the game, hitting a laser into the brush past left field for a solo home run. Fairfield American scored in every inning after.

Defensively, Nardone, who lauded his defense after the game, fielded four ground-ball outs.

"Our team is confident," he said. "We think we can win every game, but we're not overconfident."

With a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth, Fairfield American solidified the win with a four-run rally, capitalizing on two Farmington errors in one play.

Fairfield American's Billy McGrath hit a dribbler down the third-base line with runners in scoring position and one out. Farmington's third baseman overthrew first base, scoring Jack Quinn, who was on third. After another miscue by Farmington's first baseman on the relay throw from the outfield, Connor Daley scored.

Liam Wurzel completed the fifth-inning rally with an RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch.

Nardone put the icing on the cake in the sixth with his second solo home run. Quinn, the next batter, followed with a towering blast well beyond the center-field fence.

Farmington head coach Mike Gulino did not lament the loss, but expressed pride in his squad. Farmington had come back from seven-run and nine-run deficits in two different wins during its run to the sectional championship game.

"We ran up against a good pitcher," Gulino said of Nardone. "This team never gave up."

Farmington hit two home runs in the bottom of the sixth, but the comeback kids could not muster enough.

Fairfield American went 5-0 in the sectional playoffs.

Daley's squad advances to the 2010 Little League state championship this weekend and will play a best-of-three series against the winner of the Madison-Stafford Section 2 championship game, which was also Wednesday night. The state championship starts at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Blackham School in Bridgeport.

Daley cast a gleaming smile when speaking about the character of his team.

"Hardworking, confident -- just a great group of boys," he said.

Fairfield American 001 142--8 11 1

Farmington 000 003--3 7 4

Batteries: FA--Nardone (W), Patrick O'Leary (6) and Connor Daley. FM--Dominic Alfano (L, 4.2), David Maljanian and Maljanian, Noah Gulino.

2B: FA--Nate Klein, Connor Daley and Liam Wurzel. FM--Collin Porter.

HR: FA--Nardone 2, Quinn. FM--Noah Gulino and Michael Feinberg.