LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Paseo Verde Little League All-Stars of Henderson have punched their ticket to Williamsport and are ready to go for history.
After winning the Mountain region in state regionals in San Bernardino last week, the team will represent Nevada against the nation's top competition at the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania. PV's first game is against Staten Island on Thursday at noon.
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It's the second straight year a team from Henderson advanced to represent Nevada on the national stage. It's the first time a Paseo Verde team has made it this far.
"It’s super exciting," Paseo Verde president Mike Fairweather 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 about every weekend for tournaments. Hopefully this helps grow not only the baseball community but the Paseo Verde community.”
“This was a special group and everything keeps continuing to go their way and it’s not by accident," said head coach Adam Johnson, who is the assistant equipment manager for the Las Vegas Raiders.
"They’ve earned every minute. The Raiders have been very forgiving of me missing a lot of the busy season. I work for a great boss and a great organization that allows me the opportunity to be a dad first.”
After losing their first game of regionals, Paseo Verde swept their next four opponents and shut out two behind the pitching performances of Gunnar Gaudin and Wyatt Erickson.
“It was amazing being able to pitch for this team and throw a shutout," Gaudin said. "Nothing I’d rather do.”
“My fastball was coming out the hand really good," Erickson said after pitching a shutout to earn the team a World Series bid. Curveball was breaking a lot. I felt on today.”
“It’s crazy, it’s hard to even process," catcher Parker Soranaka said on heading to Williamsport. "All my teammates have my back no matter what. It’s just a blessing and knowing that if something doesn’t go my way hitting that they have my back when we’re fielding.”
The team is ready for the challenge ahead and ready to try to become the second Nevada team to ever win the World Series.
“I’m concerned about one team and one team only, Paseo Verde," 1st/3rd baseman and pitcher Oliver Johnson said. "I know if we play to our standard we’re going to win a ton of games.”
Team Nevada faces Team Metro in Paseo Verde's first game of the World Series on Thursday at noon. You can watch on ESPN.
