LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Paseo Verde Little League All-Stars from Henderson have booked their ticket to Williamsport and are ready to make history.
After winning the Mountain Region at the regional championships in San Bernardino last week, the team will represent Nevada at the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania against the country’s top competition. PV’s first game is Thursday at noon against Staten Island.
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This is the second year in a row that a team from Henderson has been able to represent Nevada at the national level. It is the first time that a team from Paseo Verde has made it this far.
“It’s super exciting,” Mike Fairweather, president of Paseo Verde, told Channel 13 on Friday.
“It’s a big baseball town, a close-knit community, a lot of the kids know each other and play together. They play against each other in tournaments about every weekend. Hopefully this will help grow not only the baseball community but the Paseo Verde community as well.”
“This was a special group and everything continues to go according to plan and that is no accident,” said head coach Adam Johnson, the Las Vegas Raiders’ assistant equipment manager.
“They earned every minute. The Raiders have been very forgiving of me missing much of the busy season. I work for a great boss and a great organization that gives me the opportunity to be a father first and foremost.”
After losing its first game at the regional championships, Paseo Verde swept its next four opponents, keeping two of them clean sheets thanks to good performances from Gunnar Gaudin and Wyatt Erickson.
“It was incredible to be able to pitch for this team and get a shutout,” Gaudin said. “There’s nothing I’d rather do.”
“My fastball was coming out of my hand really well,” Erickson said after pitching a shutout that secured the team’s place in the World Series. Curveball was breaking a lot. I felt good today.”
“It’s crazy, it’s hard to even process this,” said catcher Parker Soranaka on the way to Williamsport. “All of my teammates are behind me no matter what. It’s just a blessing and I know they’re behind me if something doesn’t go the way I want it to.”
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The team is ready for the challenge ahead and will attempt to become the second team from Nevada to ever win the World Series.
“I’m only worried about one team, Paseo Verde,” said Oliver Johnson, 1st/3rd baseman and pitcher. “I know if we keep up our level, we’re going to win a lot of games.”
Team Nevada faces Team Metro in Game 1 of the World Series from Paseo Verde on Thursday at noon. You can watch on ESPN.
