Bandits Split Games Against Top-Rated Spartans

The Bandits Baseball U12 team jumped out to an early lead on the South County Spartans and captured an 8-2 victory on Sunday at Kenney Field in Warwick, RI.

Six runs in the first three innings allowed the Bandits to put the game away early. A two-run single by Josh Bookbinder, an RBI double by Mason Blanchette, and an RBI single by John Garizio during the first inning helped the Bandits put some runs on the board early. Bookbinder got a hit in each of his two at bats.

Blanchette got the win for the Bandits, allowing only one run over four innings. Blanchette struck out three, walked three and surrendered four hits.

The team piled up the steals, swiping nine bags in all. Niko Droukas, Chris DeMarco, Cameron Dean, and Bookbinder each had one stolen base, Andrew Almeida had two stolen bases, and Garizio had three stolen bases. 

Alex Price, Nick Ivey, Droukas, Blanchette, Garizio, and Bookbinder all collected hits for their traveling club. Bookbinder led the team with two solid hits. 

The U12 Bandits got two-run rallies in the third inning and the fifth and did not look back. In the third, the team scored on a two-out, two-run single by Blanchette, bringing home Price and Droukas. The South County Spartans scored one run in the bottom of the fourth to cut their deficit to five but defensive flashes by the middle infield of Droukas and Demarco, a sprawling catch by Almeida and the combined fundamental outfield play by Lucas Joshi and Connor Gruda secured the win against a top rated AAU, Rhode Island team.    

Bandits Fall in Game 2, 5-1

Garizio did all he could to give Bandits a boost, but it wasn't enough to get past the Spartans in Game 2, as the Bandits were defeated 5-1 in six innings at Kenney Field on Sunday.

Garizio had a sound game at the plate and went 1-2, drove in one and scored one run with a blistering line drive home run in the second inning. Connor Gruda started on the rubber for Bandits before the call to the bullpen for Alex Price to complete out the game. 

The lead stayed with the South County Spartans after the first, when they scored two runs on an error and an RBI single by the Spartans hitter, however the Bandits team defense was able to hold off the Spartans offensive attack for the latter part of the game. 

The Bandits offense sputtered throughout the second game with only two hits, some tough breaks and an outstanding pitching performance by the Spartan right hand reliever.

The Bandits, now 5-4, continue their journey to Baseball Heaven this coming weekend with their first tournament entry this season.