LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — For the second time in three years, Paseo Verde is sending a team to the Little League World Series.
On Friday, the team defeated Billings Big Sky Little League 9-2 to be crowned the Mountain Region champions and secure their spot in Williamsport.
They also defeated Laramie Little League and Lone Peak Little League in the Mountain Regional tournament, which was held in San Bernardino, California.
In the first inning, Owen Guzman and Logan Edwards drew back-to-back walks. They moved up a base on an infield ground out before Guzman scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0.
Brooks McFarland then hit a fly ball to center field that was caught but it was deep enough to allow Edwards to score.
Paseo Verde continued building to its lead by adding four runs in the third and two in the fourth to make it 8-0.
While Big Sky threatened in the top of of the fifth with the bases loaded and two outs, Guzman came up with a big strikeout to end the scoring threat.
In the bottom of the fifth, Paseo Verde tacked on another run for a commanding 9-0 lead.
Montana avoided the shutout with two runs in the top of the sixth but it wasn't enough to get the win.
When looking at the Little League World Series bracket, Paseo Verde will face Ohio's West Side Little League, the Great Lakes Region champion, on Thursday.
Paseo Verde got a boost of good luck going into Friday's game, courtesy of Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders.
According to the Little League World Series, four teams have previously represented Nevada:
- 2014 - Mountain Ridge
- 2023 - Henderson
- 2024 - Paseo Verde
- 2025 - Summerlin South All Stars
WATCH | Nevada's return to Little League World Series: 2014 players share memories and advice
The valley has been a baseball hotbed for years. At one point, future Major League Baseball stars Bryce Harper, Joey Gallo, and Kris Bryant were all playing with and against each other in Little League games across the Las Vegas area. Back in 2019, Gallo described what it was like playing together.
"Bryce was like a man child. He looked like he was 16 playing with 10-year-olds. Usually, what would happen would be they would walk Bryce and pitch to me. I was just a small kid back then. I would hit a home run or something and they'd have to pitch to Bryce so I was his protection at eight years old," Gallo said back in 2023. "Kris was a little more diamond in the rough. He was a good player but didn't have that Bryce Harper build but he hit some absolute bombs."
Other MLB stars that have ties to the Las Vegas area include Bryson Stott, Tyler Anderson, Tommy Pham, and Paul Sewald.
So what's the best piece of advice any of these hometown heroes can give the Little Leaguers? According to Gallo, have fun.
"When you start getting that pressure, that you're going to get drafted and go to college, you kind of lose the fun in the game and why you played it in the first place," Gallo said. "I think that's one of the main things that I'd even tell young kids that are growing up right now. Enjoy it and never take it for granted. We never really knew how special it was until it was over."
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