Henderson team ousted from Little League World Series — PHOTOS

By Jeff Wollard Las Vegas Review-Journal

4 months ago

Henderson, Nev., players acknowledge fans after their loss to Lake Mary, Fla., in a baseball ga ... — Henderson, Nev., players acknowledge fans after their loss to Lake Mary, Fla., in a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Henderson, Nev. right fielder Dominic Laino, left, celebrates with center fielder Caleb Gomez (9) after catching a ball hit by Lake Mary, Fla.’s. Landon Bono at the wall during the third inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Henderson, Nev.’s Noah Letalu drives in a run with a single off Lake Mary, Fla.’s Lathan Norton during the first inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. Florida won 6-3. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Henderson, Nev. shortstop Russell McGee (17) fields a ball up the middle hit by Lake Mary, Fla.’s.’s James Feliciano during the sixth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Henderson, Nev.’s Wyatt Erickson (18) reacts as he heads to first base after being hit by a pitch from Lake Mary, Fla.’s Lathan Norton (9) as catcher Landon Bono picks up the baseball during the first inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Henderson, Nev.’s Liam Sparks delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against Lake Mary, Fla., at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Henderson, Nev.’s Dominic Laino, left, celebrates as he returns to the dugout after making an inning-ending catch at the wall of a fly ball dit by Lake Mary, Fla.’s.’s Landon Bono during the third inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Henderson, Nev., shortstop Russell McGee throws out Lake Mary, Fla.’s James Feliciano on a ball hit up the middle during the sixth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Henderson, Nev.’s Russell McGee delivers during the during the third inning of a baseball game against Lake Mary, Fla., at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s.’s James Feliciano, right, is greeted by teammates after hitting a solo home run off Henderson, Nev.’s Russell McGee during the third inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s Garrett Rohozen (22) rounds third base on his home run off Henderson, Nev. pitcher Oliver Johnson during the sixth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Henderson, Nev.’s Oliver Johnson reacts himself after giving up a solo home run to Lake Mary, Fla.’s Garrett Rohozen during the sixth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s Lathan Norton delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against Henderson, Nev., at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s. James Feliciano celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Henderson, Nev.’s Russell McGee during the third inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s James Feliciano (14) hits a solo home run off Henderson, Nev.’s Russell McGee during the third inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s Garrett Rohozen, left, rounds first base after hitting a solo home run off Henderson, Nev.’s Oliver Johnson (23) during the sixth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. Florida won 6-3. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s Garrett Rohozen connects with a throw from Henderson, Nev., pitcher Oliver Johnson for a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s Garrett Rohozen (22), third from front left, is greeted at home plate by teammates after his home run off Henderson, Nev., pitcher Oliver Johnson during the sixth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s Garrett Rohozen, right, and Liam Morrisey (15) celebrate their win against Lake Mary, Fla. during a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s Teraj Alexander waves to fans as he walks to the dugout after pitching during the sixth inning of a baseball game against Henderson, Nev., at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s Garrett Rohozen watches his solo home run off Henderson, Nev.’s Oliver Johnson during the sixth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Lake Mary, Fla.’s Garrett Rohozen (22) returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Henderson, Nev.’s Oliver Johnson during the sixth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Paseo Verde’s dreams of a Little League World Series championship came to an end Thursday.

The Henderson team fell to Lake Mary, Florida, 6-3 in an elimination game in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Playing with a depleted pitching staff, Paseo Verde, the Mountain Region champion, gave up four runs in the first inning. It answered with three of its own in the bottom of the inning, but was shut down the rest of the way by Lake Mary reliever Teraj Alexander.

“It hurts right now, but those boys showed up as a team and they’re leaving as a team,” Paseo Verde coach Adam Johnson said. “They definitely need to have their heads up. They played well, and they represented our area well.”

Paseo Verde finished the tournament at 2-2, while Southeast Region champ Lake Mary improved to 5-1 to advance to Saturday’s U.S. championship game against Southwest Region representative Boerne, Texas.

The winner of that contest will advance to Sunday’s title game against either Taoyuan City of Chinese Taipei (Asia-Pacific champ) or Barquisimeto, Venezuela (Latin America).

Paseo Verde starter Liam Sparks struggled with control, walking the first three Lake Mary batters before being pulled for reliever Russell McGee. McGee gave up three consecutive hits, including a two-run single by DeMarcos Mieses, before retiring the side with his team down 4-0.

“Liam’s a great kid,” Johnson said. “He was put in a situation where we felt confident, but things just didn’t go his way.”

Paseo Verde answered by loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning and making it 4-3 on RBI singles by Oliver Johnson and Noah Letalu and a sacrifice fly by Parker Soranaka.

“We felt like we were in the game from there on,” Johnson said.

But that was it for Paseo Verde offensively, as Alexander allowed no scoring threats until the sixth inning, giving up three hits and no runs in 3⅔ innings.

Alexander “had a funky delivery,” Johnson said. “It looked like he tripped every time in his delivery.”

After falling behind 6-3 on solo homers by Lake Mary’s Garrett Rohozen and James Feliciano in the middle innings, Paseo Verde finally chased Alexander by putting two runners on base with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.

But ace Feliciano came on in relief for Lake Mary, retiring McGee on a fly to center field for the final out.

Caleb Gomez went 2-for-3 with a run scored for Paseo Verde, which finished with seven hits. McGee added a first-inning double.

Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com

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