GREAT BAY--The development and attention to baseball in Curaçao is evident. Curaçao has emerged as the dominant team of the 2026 Latin America and Caribbean Junior League Baseball Tournament in St. Maarten, completing pool play undefeated and carrying a 3-0 record into the decisive weekend.
The Willemstad-based Pariba Little League team has combined strong hitting with shutout pitching throughout the tournament. Curaçao opened with an 11-4 victory over Argentina, defeated Puerto Rico 10-0 and then overpowered host team St. Maarten 13-0 on Wednesday evening.
Those results left Curaçao at the top of Pool A and firmly positioned as one of the leading contenders for the regional championship.
Wednesday’s action also saw Aruba defeat the U.S. Virgin Islands 7-0, while Panama edged Nicaragua 2-1. Panama completed pool play with a 3-1 record, while Aruba and Nicaragua remained closely matched in Pool B. It should be noted here that USVI forfeited the game against Aruba due to two of their coaches being ejected.
Thursday produced another round of decisive results. Puerto Rico defeated Argentina 22-7, and Aruba defeated Bonaire 17-0.
Curaçao’s three victories have been particularly convincing. The team has scored 34 runs while allowing only four, with back-to-back shutouts against Puerto Rico and St. Maarten.
The tournament now moves into its playoff phase, with semifinal games scheduled for Friday. The first-place team from Pool B will face the second-place team from Pool A at 4:00pm, followed by the Pool A winner against the Pool B runner-up at 7:00pm.
The winners will advance to Saturday’s championship game at 7:00pm, while the losing semifinalists will meet in the third-place game at 4:00pm.
The regional tournament, hosted from July 12 to 18, features junior players from St. Maarten, Curaçao, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Peru, Aruba, Bonaire, Nicaragua, Panama and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The competition serves as a pathway to the 2026 Junior League Baseball World Series, scheduled for August 9 to 16.
With the championship now within reach, Curaçao enters the weekend as the only unbeaten team and the side others will have to overcome to claim the regional title.
