The Little League World Series concluded Sunday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with Willemstad, Curaçao, capturing its second championship by defeating Henderson, Nevada, 11-2. The tournament, which began on August 19, featured youth teams from across the globe competing for the prestigious title.
Curaçao’s victory marks its first Little League World Series championship since 2004, a year that featured future Major League Baseball players Jonathan Schoop and Jurickson Profar. The Caribbean island nation has also finished as runner-up four times, including back-to-back final appearances in 2004-2005 and more recently in 2022-2023.
The championship game at Lamade Stadium opened with Henderson taking an early lead on a two-run single by Maddox Bryan. However, Curaçao quickly responded, tying the score in the third inning before pulling away with an eight-run surge in the fifth and adding three more runs in the sixth to secure a decisive win.
For Nevada, the loss marked another near miss in its quest for a first Little League World Series title. The state’s team from Summerlin South reached the final last year, falling 7-0 to Taiwan. Despite the defeat, Nevada’s defense set a new tournament record by turning six double plays throughout the competition.
Sunday’s third-place game saw Tokyo narrowly defeating Hamilton, Ohio, 3-2. The matchup set the stage for the championship between the international bracket winner, Curaçao, and the U.S. bracket winner, Henderson.
The tournament also featured notable performances by female players Kinley Rasmus of Phenix City, Alabama, and Carsynn Meyer of Henderson. Rasmus, daughter of former MLB pitcher Cory Rasmus, tied the tournament strikeout record for girls with 14 and led all female players with five hits, including the first extra-base hit—a run-scoring double—recorded by a girl. She finished with the most runs batted in and runs scored by a girl in a single Little League World Series, despite Phenix City’s early elimination.
Meyer made history as the sixth girl to register multiple hits in the Little League World Series and became the first girl to earn a run batted in during a U.S. championship game. She was also the second girl ever to appear in the final game.
While dates for the next tournament have yet to be announced, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred revealed plans for the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays to participate in the Little League Classic on August 19 of next year, continuing the event’s tradition of integrating professional baseball with youth competition.