LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Under the national spotlight on ESPN in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the Paseo Verde All-Stars have started the Little League World Series victorious.
The Henderson squad and Mountain Region champions left no doubt when defeating the New York team out of Staten Island 9-1 on Thursday. Nevada combined for 11 hits, never trailing and taking over the game after a 3-run 3rd inning.
PV will play their next game on Monday.
Pitcher Wyatt Erickson, who pitched a shutout in Paseo Verde's win over Montana that clinched their World Series bid last week, threw a complete game for Nevada. He allowed only one run and five hits while contributing at-bat with a two-run double.
WATCH: Tricia Kean caught up with the team after they secured their spot in the Little League World Series.
A big 3rd inning gave PV the lead and they wouldn't look back. A hit from Russell McGee drove in a Nevada run to break a scoreless tie. In the next at-bat, pitcher Wyatt Erickson did damage on the plate by crushing a ball past the outfielders to bring in two more runs to give Team Nevada a 3-0 lead at the game's halfway point.
After New York got on the board with a run in the top of the 4th inning, Nevada added to its lead in the bottom frame. A Luke Lentz single loaded the bases and a wild pitch brought in a run as Nevada takes a 5-1 run at the end of the inning.
Paseo Verde took over in the bottom of the 5th, the team driving in four more runs to take a dominant 9-1 lead heading into the final inning. That lead would stick as the final score.
Team Nevada advances to face the winner of Great Lakes and West region champions next Monday, those two teams facing off on Friday at noon.
