SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Gunnar Gaudin has two signatures under the brim of his cap: New York Yankees outfielder Jazz Chisholm’s and his own.
“I’m not trying to brag,” Gunnar said, “but I feel like I’m famous.”
When you strike out five batters and don’t allow a walk, you’re bound to feel that way. Gunnar pitched a complete game as Nevada defeated Hawaii 3-2 on Monday at the Little League World Series.
Nevada, representing the Mountain Region — formed in 2022 as the LLWS expanded to 20 teams — is one of two unbeaten and impressive clubs on the United States side of the bracket. The other is Texas, a 4-1 winner over Florida on Monday night. The unbeaten teams will meet Wednesday, with the winner advancing to the semifinals.
“I was ready to pitch and they gave me the ball,” Gunnar said after Nevada’s victory. “I was really excited to see what I could do and I felt like I executed and we had a good outcome.”
Paseo Verde, representing Henderson, near Las Vegas, waited three days after its opening Little League World Series win against New York, and its players seemed antsy to get back on the field.
The game was tied at 2 when Nevada batted in the top of the sixth, the final inning in Little League play. Two batters walked and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Once Wyatt Erickson got hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded and Noah Letalu was on deck. After a teammate struck out, he knew exactly what he needed to do.
“I can’t be going to the plate trying to hit a grand slam and put the entire team on my back,” Noah said. “I probably would’ve been swinging at balls in the dirt, but I knew that I had to score a run for my team and in that situation, a walk was just as important as a hit.”
Noah took the sixth walk of the game from the Central East Maui pitchers, sending the winning run home. Nevada then held on to beat the Hawaii team representing the West, the region that has won the last two LLWS titles.
Catcher Parker Soranaka initiated a strikeout, throw-out double play that ended the game.
“That’s something we hang our hat on. We tell our pitchers, ‘Let’s let our defense work, let’s make plays behind them,’” said manager Adam Johnson, whose team allowed nine hits.
On Sunday, the team was at Williamsport Regional Airport in time for the Yankees' arrival ahead of the MLB Little League Classic against the Detroit Tigers. Chisholm, who’s currently on the injured list, took special interest in the Mountain region team and later sat in the stands with them at Bowman Field.
“(Chisholm) believes in youth baseball and he believes in this group,” Johnson said. “It was an instant bond where these guys were asking questions, and to watch him interact with them, I think that was special.”
Chisholm might be the big brother of the team, but the roster is already a family that’s sharing the dream of playing in the LLWS.
“The coolest part is, as a coach, is to see them embrace the team mentality because, I feel like, you know, we wouldn’t be here if we had selfish players,” Johnson said.
With Texas up next, they’ll need to bring their best. The Southwest region representative from Boerne, a suburb of San Antonio, knocked off Florida behind ace Julian Hurst, who pitched a complete game and struck out 10.
Julian won't be available to pitch against Nevada because he won't have enough rest under Little League rules, but manager Justin Newson wasn't concerned.
“Our goal is to win the game today. We’re not playing for tomorrow,” Newson said. “I feel like so many teams through this tournament process let their foot off the gas a little bit and, you know, we don’t believe in that.”
Julian allowed just three hits and no walks to the team from Lake Mary, Florida, and threw 72% of his pitches for strikes.
“He really attacks the zone, really attacks the batters,” Newson said. “We don’t try to pitch around too many, if anybody, and I think that’s showing in the strike percentage and the strikeouts.”
