Bandits Flashback: 2000 USSSA Regional Champions
May 27-29, 2000
The Bandits traveled to Ruidoso New Mexico for Memorial Day. They opened with a 10-0 win over the Las Cruces Angels. Dillon Smith was the winning pitcher tossing a complete game 3-hitter. Jared Schrom was 2-2 at the plate and Robert Gallegos was also perfect at the dish going 1-1 with 3 runs. Anthony Martinez was 2-3. Willie Rueda, Jessie Bustamante, Justin Luna, Jason Luna, Miles Esparza and Smith each contributed going 1-2.
Next the Bandits defeated the Midland Wildcats 10-6. The Bandits trailed 6-3 going into the bottom of the third when John Norris hit a fence clearing 3 run bomb to tie the game. Gallegos picked up the win in relief. Bustamante was 3-3; Rueda was 2-2; Martinez and Vince Ocegueda each went 1-1 at the plate. Norris was 2-3 with 4 RBI’s.
In their third game the Bandits defeated the Greenwood Rangers 22-1. Rueda was the winning pitcher tossing a complete game 2-hitter. Adam Lopez, Esparza and Schrom each went 3-3 at the plate. Smith and Bustamante each went 2-2. Tommy Heck, Gallegos and Ocegueda each went 1-2. Rueda was 2-4.
The Bandits met the Lubbock Blue Jays in the final. Bustamante and Gallegos combined to toss a 7 inning shutout to lead the Bandits to a 7-0 win. Norris was 2-2 with a home run. Schrom was 1-1. Rueda and Jason Luna each went 2-3. The win qualified the Bandits for the USSSA World Series to be played in Broken Arrow Oklahoma in July.
2002 Bandits Bag SA Gators 5-0; Beat Houston 9-1
The Bandits proved to be unwelcome visitors downing the state’s #6 team in their opening game of the River City Shootout in San Antonio Texas.
Three pitchers combined to allow one hit and one walk over 5 innings. Jonathan Bustamante tossed the first two innings followed by two innings of work by Albert Pinon and an inning of work by Kyle Bumpas.
Offensively Jessirey Navarrette scored two runs, Pinon scored once, Steve Vizcaino scored one run, and Isaac Herrera scored once.
The Bandits created offensive pressure throughout the game and were flawless defensively. Justin Lopez, Julio Velez, Herrera, Vizcaino, and Navarrette made outstanding defensive plays to support the pitching effort. Bustamante was the winning pitcher.
Next the Bandits met the Houston Woodlands Banditos and turned a 2-0 lead into a 3-1 margin going into the fifth inning. In the fifth, the Bandits scored 6 runs. Justin Lopez was perfect at the plate and scored 2 runs. George Stoltz also added two runs. Anthony Carmona was 2-3 as was Matthew Ortega. Ortega was the winning pitcher.
Bandits are Road Warriors at 62-8
The Bandits recent road record of 14-3 adds to the impressive accomplishments this team has realized. They have finished Second in the Nation in 2000 and 1998. They have won National Regional Tournaments in 1998 and 2000. They have won State Championships in 1997 and 1999 the only two years they competed in those tournaments due to other travel commitments they couldn’t compete in 1998 and 2000. They have won tournaments in Lubbock Texas; Phoenix Arizona; Tucson Arizona; Ruidoso New Mexico; Las Cruces New Mexico; and Colorado Springs Colorado. They have finished second in National Tournaments in Kansas City; Steamboat Springs Colorado, Tucson Arizona; and Broken Arrow Oklahoma. They have gone on the road to play the best and proven they are among the very best in the Nation!
2000 Bandits 15-3 in Triple Crown World Series
This year’s 4-1 record, combined with a 5-1 record in 1999 when they finished 5th in the nation, and their 6-1 record in 1998 give the Bandits a 15-3 World Series record. In 1998 they finished Second in the Nation losing the title game to the Dallas Tigers. In all three years the Bandits have gone through pool play with an unbeaten record. In Triple Crown Regional Play the Bandits are 12 and 1 with two National Regional Championships in 3 tries in their resume.
