Paseo Verde Little League’s remarkable run through Williamsport ended one victory short of a world championship Sunday.
Curaçao scored nine unanswered runs after falling behind early and beat the Henderson team 11-2 in the Little League Baseball World Series championship game at Howard J. Lamade Stadium.
Paseo Verde finished as the U.S. champion after going unbeaten through the American bracket. Nevada also produced back-to-back U.S. champions, though from different leagues, with Summerlin South representing Las Vegas in 2025 and Paseo Verde representing Henderson this year.
Bryan gives Henderson early lead
Paseo Verde struck first in the second inning.
Logan Edwards singled before Michael Kleiner dropped down a bunt. A throwing error sent the ball into right field, and Edwards initially came around to score before an umpire review confirmed a dead-ball ruling and sent him back to third.
That only delayed the breakthrough.
Maddox Bryan battled at the plate before lining a two-run single to center, scoring Edwards and Kleiner for a 2-0 lead. The hit gave Bryan eight RBIs in the tournament.
It was the first time Curaçao had trailed during its World Series run.
Curaçao answers
Payton Hinsen kept Curaçao scoreless through the first two innings, including three strikeouts in the second.
Curaçao finally broke through in the third. Nathanael Jansen was hit by a pitch and Jordan Richards reached on a bunt single before Shardijon De Lanoi drove both home with a single to center, tying the game 2-2.
Henderson escaped further damage when catcher Owen Guzman picked Juriënsly De Windt off first to end the inning.
Curaçao took the lead in the fourth.
With Logan Edwards on the mound, Jaymiëll Martina doubled to center with two outs, scoring V-dien Ignacio Lindo and courtesy runner Giendry Ryan for a 4-2 advantage.
Guzman, playing shortstop, recorded all three outs in the inning.
Four-run fifth changes game
Paseo Verde stayed within two runs until Curaçao broke the game open in the fifth.
Steven Felix singled and Jaymiel Antonia doubled before Henderson intentionally walked Jansen to load the bases with nobody out.
Edwards responded with consecutive strikeouts, giving Paseo Verde a chance to escape.
Instead, De Lanoi was hit by a pitch to force in one run. De Windt followed with a three-run double to center, stretching Curaçao’s lead to 8-2.
Brooks McFarland entered and got the final out.
Henderson tried to answer in the bottom half. Edwards walked and Bryan singled after fouling off several pitches, while a wild pitch eventually moved both runners into scoring position.
Paseo Verde later loaded the bases, but Michael Guerrero flew out to center to end the threat.
Defense makes history
Even as Curaçao pulled away, Paseo Verde’s defense continued producing remarkable plays.
Henderson turned six double plays, a Little League World Series single-game record according to the game broadcast.
The sixth came during a chaotic sequence in the top of the sixth. Curaçao scored on a bunt before several runners became caught between bases, with Paseo Verde completing a 1-5-2-6-5 sequence during the play.
Curaçao eventually scored three runs in the inning to extend its lead to 11-2.
The defensive performance followed another three-double-play effort by Henderson in Saturday’s U.S. Championship Game.
One final threat
Paseo Verde did not go quietly in the sixth.
Guzman and James Esber walked before Hudson Cowley was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.
McFarland struck out looking before Jace Ward flew out to center, ending the game and Curaçao’s championship celebration.
Paseo Verde finished with two runs on five hits and did not commit an error.
A run Henderson will remember
Sunday’s loss ended a tournament in which Paseo Verde showed several different ways to win.
Henderson rallied from three runs down to beat Hamilton 6-5 in its opener, shut out Soundview 5-0, scored 14 runs against Davenport and then beat Hamilton 12-2 to win the United States championship.
The final result belonged to Curaçao, but Paseo Verde leaves Williamsport as the United States champion and one of the final two teams standing in the world.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
