RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Connecticut players return to the dugout during a Little League World Series game against Texas at Lamade Stadium on Wednesday.

A worldwide audience has witnessed the last few weeks what Fairfield National Little League coaches, parents and volunteers have known the past three years.

Their 12-year-old all-stars are every bit as tough as they are exceptional baseball players. That has helped Fairfield make a big impact at the Little League World Series after capturing a Metro Region championship. It also shines a light on why this group went 40-0 in Connecticut the past three years, winning state titles each time.

“It’s just cool we can always stay in the game even when we’re down on those big stages,” first baseman/pitcher Tommy D’Amura said after closing out a 5-1 win against Honolulu, Hawaii last Friday. “We’ve always been a winning team, but we’ve been down in games before and we knew we could come back and take the lead and we did.”

That Hawaii win proved it yet again. D’Amura and SJ Taxilaridis combined on a five-hitter and both made perfect throws home to catcher Jimmy Taxilaridis as they cut down runners trying to extend Hawaii’s lead. Brian Palazzolo Jr. then drew a two-out, two-strike RBI walk in the fifth inning which fueled a five-run rally.

Luca Pellegrini hit a two-run single, the defense was flawless and Fairfield displayed the will that defines it as much as its skill. Fairfield excelled in all facets, handing two-time world champion Honolulu just its second loss in 17 Series games as well.

“When we were still on the field, I told them it was all grit; it was all courage,” Fairfield manager Brian Palazzolo Sr. said. “The other night I mentioned we played in a lot of big games. This is obviously the biggest game this team has ever played (at that point), but we’ve been battle-tested.”

“Credit Fairfield. They battled the whole game. They never once gave up,” Hawaii manager Gerald Oda said after losing his first Series game in three appearances. “We had our opportunities. The difference was they willed themselves to get those runs across.”

At its core, this team is a group of fighters. Yes, they are super players who are fundamentally-sound, but this winning foundation is built upon resilience and an iron will. Those qualities helped Fairfield National win its league’s first state championship before showing the world just how tenacious it is.

Fairfield won two extra-inning games at the Metro Regional against New Jersey, handing it its only losses this summer. That included a 3-0, seven-inning win which followed Fairfield’s first loss this summer. A day later, Fairfield avenged its lone defeat against New York and played a near-perfect game in an impressive 12-1 victory.

At Bristol, Fairfield showed it could take a hit, after losing to New York, and keep moving forward. In the extra-inning wins, it showed it can win a game under the most pressure-filled circumstances.

“These guys have played together the last three years. We played in more close, big games than most teams, certainly in our area, but it could be whole United States,” Palazzolo said. “The coaches get way more nervous than the players in these games. My heart is still pounding 1000 beats per minute but these guys just buckle down.”

That included in the Series opener when Luca Pellegrini threw a one-hit shutout and Ben Herbst hit a go-ahead RBI single in a 1-0 win against Texas. That made it three one-run victories since regionals started. And while the Hawaii victory was not a one-run game it was a heavyweight showdown in which Fairfield was against the ropes multiple times but kept fighting of.

Palazzolo Jr. was behind 1-2 when Fairfield trailed 1-0 in the fifth inning. He then fouled off a pitch and took three balls to draw the game-tying walk. Pellegrini delivered his two-strike, two-run single two batters later and Fairfield was on its way to the U.S semifinals. One strike away from heading to the bottom of the fifth down 1-0 Fairfield led the previously undefeated West champions, 5-1.

That was the personification of Fairfield National Little League Baseball.

“We were able to keep our composure and grind them out and put a couple runners on base,” Palazzolo said. “It was a deep breath and a big five-spot in the top of the fifth. That was awesome. They know their jobs. We go over the fundamentals day in and day out. They work together and they play well together.”

That has been the case the last three years. This team was targeted for greatness a while back but it did not just happen. It took countless hours practicing together and on their own time.

And with state championships the past two seasons, Fairfield was a marked team throughout Connecticut entering this season. Again, however, this team loves being challenged and responded again. It battered its way to a third straight state championship, barreling through a District 2 field which included three previous Series qualifiers.

Most of those games were blowouts, highlighting the team’s explosiveness, defense and deep pitching. And while those qualities continued bursting through at regionals and the Series, those tournaments have been more about the team’s grit and spirit.

Put all those qualities together and you have the recipe for becoming one of the world’s top 10 teams.

“It’s a gauntlet of games these kids have to play to get to where they are, winning districts and then sections and states and regionals,” Fairfield National Little League president Diego De Lan said. “The work that goes in and the preparing that goes into finally getting to this moment is so overwhelming.”

The Fairfield fans seem to appreciate both how hard it is to reach this point and how hard its team plays. They have been some of the most passionate fans at the Series and have filled up Lamade Stadium and the surrounding hill as well as any American team thus far.

The players are brilliantly representing their town, state and region and the fans are doing all they can to keep lifting them higher. It’s a reciprocal relationship and all are enjoying the fruits of the labor.

“We draw a big crowd and we love our fan base wherever we go,” Taxilaridis said. “They’re always cheering. Even if we’re down, they’re up. They make us feel extra special.”

As well they should.

How it plays the game and handles the toughest times defines who this team is. Fairfield certainly has become a special team.