Bandit September Birthdays
September 1: Kyle Bumpas turned 34. He is one of the Bandits most decorated and honored players offensively and defensively in our history and earned the honor to wear the Held # 10. Kyle pitched, played first base and in the outfield for our 2002 Bandit National Finalist. Bumpas was named the Most Valuable Player for District 1-5A in 2010 as a high school senior. He is also one of 16 Bandits to be named to the Texas High School Baseball All State Team. Kyle earned his fourth 1-5A All District selection and All City Selection in 2010. He was selected to the 1-5A All City and All District team as “Newcomer of the Year” in 2007. He is the first Bandit and only freshman to ever gain this honor in District 1-5A. Bumpas was selected to EPCC All Star team in the Spring of 2007. Kyle played with the Bandits from age 10 through age 15. He was our “ace” on the mound and led his team in batting average, stolen bases and runs scored every year he played on our squads. “Tex” got the call on the bump every championship game and never lost a championship outing for his Bandit teams. Kyle was an honor student in the classroom and a class act off the field. His character as a young man has earned him universal respect from his Coaches, his teammates and his fellow competitors. Bumpas helped lead his Americas Trailblazer high school baseball squad to their first District championship in school history in 2010. Kyle attended St. Mary’s University playing baseball and made the All Conference team as a freshman pitcher. His sophomore year saw him pitch 6 innings of relief in St. Mary’s NCAA Division II World Series finale striking out 8, walking only 1 and allowing only 1 run. He was awarded the Presidential Academic Scholarship in addition to his baseball scholarship. Happy Birthday “Tex”!
September 5: Derek Ramos turned 30. Derek played two complete Fall and Spring seasons with the Bandits. Derek pitched, played SS, 2B, 3B and all three outfield positions for his teams. Derek is very athletic and gifted. He is an honor roll student in the classroom and continues his baseball journey playing at the collegiate level. He shares birthdays in September with his Dad Coach Sammy and brother Sammy. Happy Birthday Derek!
September 7: Luke Lujan turned 33. Luke played for the Bandits as a 12 year old on our 13 and under Bandit championship squad. Luke played catcher and both corner infield positions. Luke was an honor student and played football, basketball and baseball at Coronado High School. Happy Birthday Luke!
September 7: Michael Steele turned 34. Michael played for the Bandits as a 15 year old. He played catcher and first base. Steele was an honor student in the classroom at Franklin High School. Steele earned two varsity letters playing in the Cougars baseball program. Happy Birthday Michael!
September 7: Billy Best turned 25. Billy was part of the 2013 edition of our Bandits. Billy played all 3 outfield positions and first base. “Happy Birthday” Billy!
Mark Gandara turned 34 on September 10. Gandara was a hard working catcher and outfielder for his Bandit championship teams. Mark made the most of his abilities. He would run to practice on days he didn’t have a ride making sure he was never late. Mark was reliable and dependable and unselfish always placing the needs of the team above his personal ones. His attitude helped fuel our championship turnaround during his 13 year old season. Gandara played 3 years for the Bandits and was most often donning the gear and working the dish for his teammates. Happy Birthday Mark!
Happy Birthday to College Player and Bandit Casey “Case” Dillon who turned 44 on September 12. Casey and his Dad Coach Mark Dillon opened the doors to the Westside or as we call it Treasure Island to the Bandits. They opened the pathway for other players who made their positive baseball journeys a part of the Bandit legacy. Coach Mark and Casey and their Bandit teams were Tournament and League Champions and traveled Texas, Arizona and Colorado showcasing the skill set of our Players to help them gain attention and college baseball scholarships. Casey played high school baseball in one of the strongest programs in the Scottsdale Arizona area and his college baseball in California and Ohio. Casey is now coaching his Son Jack and teaching fundamentals to other children in Arizona. Casey also is the Proud Dad to his daughter Charlotte Leigh and makes Coach Mark an ecstatic Grandpa. Happy Birthday Casey.
September 13: Coach Sammy Ramos continues to age gracefully another year. Coach Sammy helped coach the Bandits for 4 seasons covering two full years. His youngest Son Derek who played for the Bandits and his oldest Son Sammy all share September birthdays. Happy Birthday Coach Sammy!
September 18: Robert Gallegos turned 39. Robert played on the first two Bandit National Championship finalist squads in 1998 and 2000. Robert was the team’s ace pitcher, shortstop and lead off batter. Robert went on to All District and All City honors in both baseball and football at Riverside High School where he played quarterback and captured Player of the Year accolades. Robert played junior college baseball as a shortstop, second baseman and third baseman for Navarro Junior college where his squad briefly held the number 1 national ranking. Robert earned his college degree while playing at Northwestern Louisiana as an infielder in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. He coached in Dallas Texas with the D-Bats organization and was an Associate Scout for the Baltimore Orioles. In 2014, Robert coached the D-Bats to the Connie Mack National Championship. Robert was an Assistant Coach for Big 12 Conference Member the University of Oklahoma Sooners. He currently is the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for Navarro Junior College and helps raise his Son Cruz and daughter Mila with wife Mandy. “Congratulations and Happy Birthday” Robert!
September 18: Coach Javier Sandoval turned 74. Coach Jarv is one of the co-founders of Bandit Baseball and has been a part of Championship Baseball since 1977. In 1979, he joined Coach Larry and coached the newly formed Hirby Pest Control 13U baseball team. He coached with the Bandits since their inception in 1989. He coached the first Bandit State Championship team in 1994. Happy Birthday Coach Javier!
September 19: Hector Carbajal turned 25. Hector was a member of our 2013 Bandits. Carbajal plays multiple sports including balancing wrestling, football and baseball. His role on the Bandits team saw him become a proven “clutch” hitter and dependable outfielder who improved his reading of “ball off bat” abilities.
Alex Abeyta turned 30 on September 30. Alex played two years with the Bandits. He played third base and a all three outfield positions. He sometimes batted lead off and eventually settled into a spot in the heart of the batting order. Abeyta played football and baseball and was a part of the first graduating class at Eastlake High School. Happy Birthday Alex!
