Connecticut sent a team to the Little League World Series for the second time since 2017 and this year’s representative, Fairfield National Little League, will have a lasting memory of the experience in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Connecticut didn’t win it all but does leave the LLWS on a high note after a 4-2 victory over Aruba in the third place game. Connecticut, the Metro Region champion, also finished with a 5-1 record in Williamsport.
Aruba’s second consecutive trip to the LLWS produced some thrilling moments. Overall, it was Aruba Center Little League’s third appearance in Williamsport and it ended with consecutive losses, first in the international championship game and then in the third place game. Aruba had a 4-3 record in the LLWS this year.
FINAL: Connecticut 4, Aruba 2 in LLWS third place game
Tommy D’Amura came on in the third inning in relief and he essentially saved the game for Connecticut. D’Amura’s pitching line: 3 1/3 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts. The clutch pitching performance secures third place for Connecticut in the Little League World Series. Aruba finished its Little League World Series adventure in fourth place overall.
Connecticut increases lead over Aruba
Jimmy Taxiltaridis’ RBI-groundout gave Connecticut an insurance run for a 4-2 lead with two outs.
Aruba’s Anthony Santos reaches the pitching limit
Santos pitched to one batter in the top of the sixth and gets Connecticut’s Luca Pellegrini to fly out. That was his 85th pitch and he has to leave the mound. Sanots’ final pitching line: 5 1/3 innings, 5 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts.
Aruba’s Anthony Santos cruises through the fifth
Santos has gone the distance so far for Aruba by allowing five hits, three runs and two walks but he has six strikeouts too. After five innings, Connecticut leads 3-2 over Aruba.
Connecticut gets leadoff batter on base
Connecticut’s Joe Sorrentino singled to start off the top of the fifth inning. However, Aruba’s Anthony Santos got three straight ground outs to end this threat.
Connecticut’s Tommy D’Amura holds off Aruba
Aruba got a two-out walk from Isaac Arendsz, but D’Amura gets a groundout to end the inning. After four innings, Connecticut had a 3-2 lead.
Aruba’s Anthony Santos gets more strikeouts
After an error and a single with no outs, Santos takes care of the Connecticut batters with three straight strikeouts to end the top of the fourth inning. Santos has six strikeouts for the game.
Aruba answers in the bottom of the third inning
Cayden Fraser has an RBI-triple to get Aruba on the scoreboard. It was his first hit of the Little League World Series. Josiah Koolman added an RBI-ground out. Tommy D’Amura came on in relief for the final out of the inning. After three innings, Connecticut leads 3-2.
Brian Palazzolo takes over on the mound for Connecticut
Palazzolo comes out the bullpen for Connecticut after starter Charlie McCullough went two innings and allowed one hit, one walk and struck out two batters.
Connecticut takes the lead
Connecticut’s SJ Taxiltaridis delivers a two-run double to give his team a 2-0 lead. He would take third on the throw back into the infield and later scored on a wild pitch. After the top of the third inning, Connecticut leads 3-0.
Aruba gets the first hit of third place game
Aruba’s Liam Peña Caraballo got the first hit of the game off Connecticut’s Charlie McCullough, which came with two outs. But McCullough struck out the next batter ending the threat. Still scoreless after two innings.
Aruba’s Anthony Santos has a quick inning
Sanots needed only nine pitches to retire three Connecticut batters via strikeout (his third of the game) and two groundouts in the top of the second. We are still scoreless.
Connecticut’s Boden Dunlap makes a ‘web gem’ catch in right field
Dunlap got a good jump on a ball streaking toward the line in right field. He lays out, all 5-foot-11 of him, to make the diving catch for the best defensive play of the game so far. He then makes the ‘no fly zone’ gesture by making an X with his hands. We are scoreless after one inning.
Meet the Connecticut team at the 2025 Little League World Series
Meet the Aruba team at the 2025 Little League World Series
Aruba Center Little League (Santa Cruz, Aruba) made a return trip to the LLWS this year after capturing the Caribbean region title. Overall, this was Aruba Center’s third trip to the LLWS, after previous appearances in 2024 and 2011, according to Little League. The 2024 team went 2-2 in in Williamsport. — Sherlon Christie
Connecticut leaves the bases loaded
Aruba’s Anthony Sanots got out of the bases loaded jame with back-to-back strikeouts. Scoreless after the top of the first inning.
LLWS Third place game starting pitchers: Aruba’s Anthony Santos vs Connecticut’s Charlie McCullough
Connecticut is the visting team for today’s third place game at the Little League World Series and faces Aruba’s Anthony Santos. Meanwhile, Aruba will be the home team on the scoreboard and will see Connecticut’s Charlie McCullough in the bottom of the first inning.
Why do kids play Little League? They live for the moment
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA — Nevada manager TJ Fechser says every game has an inflection point, that moment on which everything turns.
Pitcher Garrett Gallegos had just tagged out a hitter on a diving play as part of a wild fifth-inning sequence. That was it, Fechser says.
But in kids’ sports, if coaches handle them right, we always get our chance to grab for more big moments.
There were now two outs and Gallegos had one more batter. His team was ahead by two runs. He said something to himself and got a swinging strikeout to end the Fairfield (Connecticut) threat.
“The whole sequence was really emotional,” the young right-handed pitcher said after the game, “thinking that was just the last out of me pitching ever pitching in Little League. It was very sentimental and like very sad, almost. But it was exciting at the same time, all the emotions together.”
Nevada wound up winning 8-2, setting up the Aug. 24 Little League World Series championship against Chinese Taipei at 3 p.m. on ABC. − Stephen Borelli
The Final bracket for LLWS
Connecticut (Metro) and Aruba (Caribbean) start the action with the third place game at 10 a.m. ET on ESPN and then Nevada (Mountain) and Chinese Taipei (Asia-Pacific) finish today’s schedule with the Little League World Series championship game at 3 p.m. on ABC.
Here’s how each team got to their final game at the LLWS.
How to watch 2025 Little League World Series
The 2025 Little League World Series will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, with the championship game airing on ABC. Games will also be available to stream on ESPN+.
Date: Sunday, Aug. 24
Times: Consolation at 10 a.m. ET; Championship at 3 p.m. ET.
TV: ABC (championship game); ESPN2 (consolation game)
Stream: Fubo
Location: South Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Watch the LLWS with Fubo
2025 Little League World Series bracket: Scores, schedule
All times Eastern. For a full list of results, click here.
Saturday, Aug 23
International bracket championship
Chinese Taipei (Asia-Pacific) 1, Aruba (Caribbean) 0
United States bracket championship
Connecticut (Metro) 2, Nevada (Mountain) 8
Sunday, Aug. 24
Third-place game
Aruba (Caribbean) vs. Connecticut (Metro), 10 a.m. | ESPN
Championship game
Chinese Taipei (Asia-Pacific) vs. Nevada (Mountain), 3 p.m. | ABC
Stream the Little League World Series on Fubo
What time is the 2025 Little League World Series today?
Sunday’s action in the Little League World Series begins at 10 p.m. ET with the third-place game. That game will be followed by the championship game between Chinese Taipei and Nevada at 3 p.m. ET.
Where are Little League Series games being played today?
The third-place game and the championship will be played in Howard J. Lamade Stadium at the Little League World Series Complex in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
2025 Little League World Series scores
For a full list of results, click here.
United States bracket
Wednesday, Aug. 20
Game 30: Connecticut (Metro) 7, Nevada (Mountain) 3
Game 32: South Carolina (Southeast) 7, South Dakota (Midwest) 6
Thursday, Aug. 21
Game 34: Nevada (Mountain) 5, South Carolina (Southeast) 3
Saturday, Aug. 23
Game 36: Connecticut (Metro) 2, Nevada (Mountain) 8
International bracket
Wednesday, Aug. 20
Game 29: Chinese Taipei 7, Venezuela 3
Game 31: Aruba 3, Japan 0
Thursday, Aug. 21
Game 33: Aruba 3, Venezuela 1
Saturday, Aug. 23
Game 35: Chinese Taipei 1, Aruba 0
When is the 2025 Little League World Series championship game?
The championship and third-place games are scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 24 in Howard J. Lamade Stadium at the Little League World Series complex in Wiliamsport, Pennsylvania. The game follows the third-place game at Lamade Stadium.
LLWS third-place game — Sunday. Aug. 24
Aruba (Caribbean) vs. Connecticut (Metro), 10 a.m. ET | ESPN2
LLWS championship game — Sunday. Aug. 24
Chinese Taipei (Asia-Pacific) vs. Nevada (Mountain), 3 p.m. ET | ABC