SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — As Paseo Verde gets deeper into the Little League World Series, the nerves will be harder to control.
That’s the territory with 12-year-old kids playing on the national stage, especially at the beginning of the game.
Anxiety has crept in for Paseo Verde in the early stages of its two games during the Little League World Series, which has resulted in slow starts.
But Paseo Verde has found a way in both of those games, putting the Henderson team one win away from reaching the U.S. championship game. They can get there if they defeat Davenport Northwest (Iowa) on Wednesday at Lamade Stadium.
Manager Cory Edwards half-jokingly said that he hopes the nerves will wear off by the fourth or fifth inning — the frames where Paseo Verde has done most of its damage.
“I think the kids and coaches are settling into the practice schedule and how we’re kind of living in Pennsylvania right now,” Edwards said.
Pitching has come through, but it’s taken some time to get there.
Starter Owen Guzman lasted just 1⅓ innings in Paseo Verde’s opener against Ohio on Friday. Brooks McFarland threw 33 pitches in the first inning before taking a no-hitter into the fifth on Sunday.
“I just love the baseball we’re playing right now,” Edwards said.
Pitching has gotten Paseo Verde to where it’s at right now. The same can be said for Davenport Northwest.
Iowa is coming off a 6-0 win over Bayonne Central (New Jersey) on Sunday, where it was all Anthony Johnson Jr.’s doing.
Johnson threw 5⅔ innings of one-hit ball and struck out 15. He also went 2 for 2 with four RBIs, including a three-run home run.
If there’s good news for Paseo Verde, Johnson won’t pitch Wednesday. He threw 86 pitches, which means he’ll need four calendar days of rest before he can throw again.
Cooper Thissen, who is expected to start Wednesday, was as good in Iowa’s opener against Sweetwater Valley (California) on Friday. Thissen anchored a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over California by going 5⅓ innings and also striking out 15 on 90 pitches.
Johnson struck out the last two batters to finish the job.
“There’s going to be a tough game on Wednesday,” Edwards said. “But the longer we’re here, the more we adjust to the sleep schedule and the eating schedule and all the things that we’re doing.”
Paseo Verde used small ball in the fifth inning and pulled away in the 5-0 win over Tacoma on Sunday. Three bunt singles put the pressure on Tacoma’s defense and allowed Paseo Verde to take advantage.
It might come to that again with how unhittable Iowa’s pitchers have been.
“This whole process has just been a great experience,” Edwards said. “We’re just trying to accomplish the goal right now. I think we’ve got our hands full (on Wednesday).”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
Up next
Who: Paseo Verde vs. Davenport Northwest (Iowa)
What: Little League World Series
When: Noon Wednesday
Where: Lamade Stadium, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
TV: ESPN
