The rich baseball tradition of Panama, host nation of the South American Youth Games, was defended in the best possible way as the national youth team claimed the gold medal on home soil.

Baseball was one of the sports played on the closing day of the South American Youth Games, and Panama only needed one final step to meet expectations, achieving it against Colombia, a country that in recent years has challenged Panama in different categories and even earned victories of its own.

This time, Panama was not willing to settle for anything less than gold, and it was a particularly meaningful one not only because of what baseball represents in the country, but also because it marked the sixth gold medal, allowing Panama to surpass its previous best number of first-place finishes in the short history of its participation in the event.

The Panamanian team secured a 2-0 victory over Colombia at the historic yet renovated Juan Demóstenes Arosemena Stadium, a venue that has hosted major events including the IV Central American and Caribbean Games in 1938, as well as world title boxing bouts and even football matches played by Panama’s national team in past decades.

The baseball final unfolded very differently from the first meeting between the two teams during the round-robin stage of these Games, where Panama had cruised to a commanding 10-2 win.

This time, it was through the outstanding work of starting pitcher Abel Rodríguez, who silenced the opposing offense for seven innings, and the timely appearance of Luis Aranda with a two-run home run, that Panama was able to secure the outcome in its favor and claim the gold medal.

The date was especially meaningful for Rodríguez as it coincided with his birthday, and as part of this roster he was joined by teammates from his provincial team, Panamá Oeste, who had coincidentally been crowned Panama’s youth champions just a few months earlier, arriving with that same ambition alongside the rest of the squad.

Aranda, also Rodríguez’s teammate in national championships and the recent national tournament’s Most Valuable Player, made the difference when it was needed most. “I hadn’t been having the offensive performance I wanted, but it came at the right moment. Thank God things worked out well, we always came ready to give everything for the team,” said the author of the two-run home run in the second inning, who also described this year as unforgettable.

The young Panamanians were led by Adolfo Rivera and his coaching staff, a well-known figure in national baseball who, after his playing career, has continued building his path as a manager.

“The work was done, the boys trusted what you give them from day one, the confidence to play baseball. If you give them that, they will play for you, they will give you 100%, and we achieved that goal,” said the coach, who was also a national champion at the U23 level.