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KING OF THE HILL: BANDITS WIN RIVER CITY ROCK & FIRE
 A strong offensive showing that had the Bandits averaging nine runs per game and hitting a total of eight homeruns on the weekend carried the team to five straight wins and a tournament championship at the River City Rock & Fire Classic in Vicksburg.
Matthew Collum went five innings in Friday's tournament opener, allowing just two hits and two runs to pick up the win as the Bandits prevailed by a score of 8-2. Tanner White had a pair of singles, while five others had one hit each. Three Bandits were hit by pitch in the contest, including Baker Hill twice.
In a Saturday game delayed by overnight rains, the Bandits came out swinging in the top of the first against the Madison MadDogs. After Tanner White, Trace Hamby, and Baker Hill reached base to start the game, Patrick Tatum sent a grand slam over the left field fence to give the Bandits an early 4-0 lead. The first nine hitters would go on to reach base that inning as the Bandits scored 6 runs in the first and 5 more in the third to jump out to the big lead. White threw two innings and allowed just two runs to pick up the win. In addition to his grand slam, Tatum also had a double, while Hill had a pair of singles and a homerun of his own. Matthew Collum had a single and a double in the contest, and Ben Hudson had a pair of singles to aid in the offensive charge as the Bandits cruised to the win by a score of 12-4.
Earning the number two seed, the Bandits matched up against the Southern Storm in Saturday's second game, one that would end up going right down to the final pitch. Patrick Tatum put the Bandits ahead 5-4 with a monster homerun to left-center following an intentional walk to Baker Hill, but the Storm would answer with a run of their own to knot the score at five. After Austin Douglas worked the first three innings, Tanner White came on in relief and worked his way out of a bases loaded, no out jam to preserve the tie. Chris Richardson singled to get the Bandits' rally started in the bottom half of the inning, and Douglas followed with a single of his own before Hill was intentionally walked again. Just as before, Tatum made the Storm pay for the free pass by singling in the game-winning run to give the Bandits a 6-5 victory and a berth in Sunday's semifinal game. White earned the win for the Bandits, while Trace Hamby and Christopher Adcock both had singles in the contest.
Sunday's first game, with a berth in the championship on the line, was against Vicksburg Baseball, and the Bandits' bats again came out hot. Patrick Tatum and Ross Buckley each homered in the game, while Baker Hill had a pair of doubles and a single. Matthew Collum, Christopher Adcock, and Chris Richardson each had a single as well. A strong four-inning performance from Ben Hudson was capped off with an inning's work from Tanner White, as Hudson picked up the win and White secured the save to advance the Bandits to the title game.
Thanks to their earlier win over the AfterShock, Renegade Baseball had also earned its way to the championship contest, but it was the Bandit bats, once again, that struck first. Baker Hill, Patrick Tatum, and Austin Douglas each had a homerun and a single, while Tanner White also added a couple of base hits. Matthew Collum, Christopher Adcock, and Chris Richardson each had a single of their own as well. Will Rutland pitched a complete four innings, allowing just three hits and two runs to pick up the win as the Bandits took home the championship trophy.
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