BANDITS LUG HOME NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

A group of local Bandits made news this past weekend in Hutchinson, Kan., by taking off with the USSSA World Series title.

The group, formally known as the Cape County Bandits, a 12-and-under baseball team, returned home to Cape Girardeau on Sunday lugging the championship trophy of the 84-team national tournament.

The Bandits, who went 9-0 in tournament play, capped a full week of baseball with a 10-2, five-inning victory Sunday over Grand Rapids, Iowa, in the championship game.

"We didn't think we had a chance to win because there were 84 teams," said manager Val Crader. "Our goal was to shoot for the top 10."

Not only did the Bandits capture the title, but they did so in dominating fashion, outscoring opponents 109-29 over the nine games.

"Going out there I figured there were 84 teams like us," said Crader. "I sure didn't think we'd outscore them like that."

Bandit players averaged .481 for the tournament and five players made the all-tournament team. Logan Lawson, who had two hits and three RBIs in the championship game, was named the tournament MVP. Lawson merely went 19-for-30 while collecting 23 RBIs. He also compiled a 3-0 record on the mound. Adam Ivie, who picked up the win in the championship game, also went 3-0 while going 18-for-28 with 19 RBIs. Also on the all-tournament team were Joe Lincoln (2-0, .411), Luke Crader (.593) and Matt Hester (.500).

"We definitely played our best ball of the year," said Crader.

The Bandits, a traveling team, finished the season at 41-7. The select team is comprised of players from Southeast Missouri: seven from Jackson, three from Cape Girardeau, and one apiece from Oran, Sikeston and Malden. The players all belong to local teams with the Bandits serving as a second, more competitive squad.

The team qualified for the World Series by winning a tournament in Mayfield, Ky., over Memorial Day weekend. The team also placed first in a 16-team tournament in Southaven, Miss., and competed in tournaments in St. Louis.

The World Series in Hutchinson was for AAA teams, with numerous state champions among teams representing 20 states. The USSSA features four levels of play: A, AA, AAA and Major.

"We knew we were pretty good," said Crader. "We had beaten all the AAA teams we played, but we didn't know about teams from places like Texas and California."

The field was broken down into 21 four-team pools. The Bandits defeated the San Diego Storm, Johnson County (Kan.) and Quad City Rebels (Miss.) in pool play to reach the double-elimination championship bracket.

The Bandits' closest game was a 6-2 victory over the Manhattan (Kan.) Mariners, last year's runner-up, in the winner's bracket final.

Bandit coach Sammy Lawson said the team knew it was their week when they went to see The Planet of the Apes on Saturday, an off day prior to Sunday's championship contest.

The first preview starred Bruce Willis with the name of the movie revealed at the end of the segment. The movie was appropriately labeled Bandits.'

"When they saw that they all started hooting," said Lawson. "It was kind of an omen."