BANDITS FLASHBACK 2002 World Series National Championship (96 Teams 11U Compete)
2002 National Final. . . Chez Sidney Bandits 3 Bandits 2 (11 innings) in Little Rock Arkansas
It took just over 4 hours to decide the National Championship but the Louisiana team scored a run in the bottom of the 11th to claim the crown 3-2. The Chez Sidney Bandits faced our Bandits twice and handed them two 1-run losses with the title clincher taking 11 innings to decide in 105 degree weather. The Bandits trailed 1-0 before tying the game in the top of the 4th. They took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth but the Louisiana team took advantage of a defensive mental lapse to tie the game. Offensive Leaders: Matthew Ortega 1-1; Bobby Mares 1-2; Steve Vizcaino 2-4 and George Stoltz 2-5. The Bandits finished the year with a 66-17 record and a 7-2 record in the World Series and the third National Finalist designation in their his…
Bandits Connection to HS Final 4
The Bandits have connections to the El Paso teams that have reached the Texas High School Baseball Final 4:
Bandit Coach Mark Dillon played shortstop on the 1965 Austin High School Panthers Final 4 team
Bandit Coach Larry Hernandez coached 8 of the 9 hitters on the 1983 Burges High School Mustangs Final 4 team
Bandit Coach Mark Dillon coached Rocky Coppinger, Rey Herrera and many players in their offseason formative years leading to the 1992 Coronado High School Thunderbirds Final 4 team
Bandit Coach Mark Dillon coached Beto Romo and Omar Ferniza on a Bandits team before the pair became the two pitchers at the top of the rotation for the 2000 Riverside High School Rangers Final 4 team
Bandit Coach Larry Hernandez coached George Stoltz, Cory Falvey, Jessiray Navarratte and Bobby Mares on a Bandit squad before they occupied t…
