New England Region champ Fairfield, Conn., manager Bill Meury kept nudging player Kevin Oricoli in his postgame press conference Saturday at the Little League World Series.
"Keep going, say you're better looking than your brother," Meury said. "Now tell him about the girls."
Oricoli said his brother was so jealous of him for reaching the Series, when he didn't, that the relationship was getting awkward, but that everyone else seemed happy.
The siblings' relationship will get tested further this week as Fairfield became one of four teams to advance through the first day of elimination play with a 12-0 victory over Midwest champ Kearney, Neb., in the United States half of the bracket. Oricoli had two RBI in the win.
Mid-Atlantic champ Parsippany, N.J., also advanced, beating Northwest titlist Gresham, Ore., 10-4.
Internationally, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, eliminated the feel-good story of the tournament, Middle East/Africa champ Lugazi, Uganda, 12-0, and Caribbean titlist Willemstad, Curacao, topped European victor Ramstein AFB, 14-2.
Saturday's winners advanced to Monday's round, where they'll meet losers of today's games between teams that won their first games in this modified double-elimination tournament. Saturday's losers will play consolation crossover games amongst themselves later in the week.
Today marks a game between two of the United States' top perennial regions as Southeast champ Goodlettsville, Tenn., plays West champ Petaluma, Calif. The other U.S. game is Great Lakes champ New Castle, Ind., vs. Southwest titlist San Antonio, Texas.
Also, Asia Pacific champ Taoyuan, Taiwan, and Japan Region winner Tokyo hook up to highlight the International half while Canadian titlist Vancouver, B.C., tries to build on its first-round victory when it meets Latin America titlist Aguadulce, Panama.
