PANAMA CITY – Curaçao’s Under-17 baseball team has claimed the bronze medal at the South American Youth Games in Panama after a commanding 14-0 victory over Brazil in the bronze medal game.
The emphatic win gave Curaçao immediate revenge after losing 7-4 to Brazil earlier in the group stage of the tournament.
Despite a challenging group phase in which Curaçao finished with two wins and three losses, the team secured a place in the bronze medal matchup and delivered its strongest performance of the tournament when it mattered most.
Curaçao took control of the game early, building an immediate lead and setting the tone from the opening innings.
The team expanded its advantage to 5-0 in the third inning, putting pressure on Brazil’s pitching and defense.
The decisive moment came in the fourth inning, when Curaçao exploded offensively for nine additional runs, extending the lead to 14-0.
With the margin becoming too large to recover, the game was ended early under the tournament’s mercy rule.
The dominant victory secured Curaçao a place on the podium and highlighted the island’s continued strength in youth baseball, a sport deeply rooted in Curaçao’s sporting culture.
The bronze medal adds another international achievement for Curaçao’s baseball development system, which has consistently produced talent that advances to professional leagues and international competition.
Host nation Panama went on to win the gold medal after defeating Colombia 2-0 in the championship game.
For Curaçao, the bronze medal is another sign of the island’s strong baseball tradition and the ongoing development of its next generation of players.
Baseball remains one of Curaçao’s most successful sports internationally, with the island producing Major League stars and maintaining a strong presence in regional youth tournaments.