Nicaragua keeps battling, and has done so every game
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When asked about the resilience and adversity of the Ministerio Sobre Las Alas Del Aguila Little Leaguers after a comeback win against Panama on Friday at Volunteer Stadium, Nicaragua manager Jose Gabriel Rodriguez Mayorga didn't hesitate crediting their hometown.
The second-largest city in Nicaragua is a place full of people who don't back down, and that applies to the Little League baseball diamond.
"They come from a city called Leon, and the people in Leo fight until the end, until the last out," Mayorga said. "And that's what I teach these kids with how they have to be, and I'm showing them that."
Mayorga teaching the kids that definitely has been evident, and Nicaragua's last game is Exhibit A.
Trailing 3-2 going into the final inning, Nicaragua had the bottom of its lineup up. Some players were tired, some may have felt a little deflated after a three-run outburst by Panama just two innings prior.
But the players knew they had to keep fighting and not quit, and that's how it unfolded.
Nicaragua didn't record a single hit in the top of the sixth inning. However despite that lack of offensive production, the Latin America Regional champions still found a way to score four runs to take the lead back after a 2-0 lead in the first.
"It's the fundamentals and knowledge of the game these kids have that they keep," Mayorga said. "That's why they keep winning no matter what happens in the game."
Nicaragua again showed that resiliency and adversity when on Sunday, the Latin America Regional champions trailed Mexico 3-1 heading to the fifth inning before exploding for seven runs to seal the win. It doesn't matter what the deficit is on the scoreboard, Nicaragua is going to battle and fight until the last out to try to rally and so far, they keep doing so.
Nicaragua recorded just one hit in that winners' bracket opener against Panama and still were able to score six runs. That was because Nicaragua took advantage of any opportunity that was presented.
A walk? That's good.
Hit batter? It may sting, but it's a runner on.
A fielder's choice? Better than a double play.
It was far from best-case scenario with only one single, but Nicaragua will take wins any way they can get them. And it's why they entered the weekend with a 2-0 record in the winners' bracket.
"I'm so happy and proud being 2-0 for my country," Nicaragua's Jonathan Urroz Chavez said. "We're ready to go and play against Mexico."
"I've been saying all the time that pitching and defense is what keeps us going," Mayorga said. "It helped us last tournament (at regionals) and we'll keep doing it."
The defense came up clutch in the bottom of the sixth inning as Panama was vying to strike. Panama scored a run to make it a 6-4 deficit and had bases loaded with two outs. A wild pitch allowed Panama to try to send a runner home, but Nicaragua's catcher Jose Martinez Padilla quickly flipped it to pitcher Giovany Urroz Chavez for the tag at the plate.
"This is a dream come true," Mayorga said. "We're very proud starting 2-0 for our country and for our two teammates that stayed behind (due to visa issues)."
Nicaragua found ways to win despite its bats being silent, and that speaks to how good the Latin America Regional champions are. When there was a way to win, Nicaragua found it.
"That's one of our qualities is that we have good, quality at bats. That's how you play baseball," Mayorga said. "A win is a win. We only had one hit, but we got those good bases on balls to score."