Bandits Remain Hot, Bring Down Highlanders

The Bandits and Highlanders show their appreciation for their opponents, and the game.

The weather cooled down, but the Rancho Murieta Bandits (4-0) remained hot this past Sunday, as they beat the Sierra Highlanders (2-2). The contest was set to determine first place in the early going of the season, and it was the Bandits who came away with a 13-1 victory. However, the game was more tightly contested than the final scored shows.

The Bandit strikers were at the line in the top of the first. Reliable lead off man, “Philthy” Phil Albee, reached on a hot grounder to second. Later in the inning, the hot bat of Scott “Leather” Oltmanns came through to drive in a run. After stealing second, “Leather” tried to score on a single by Rob “Rib-eye” Rinaldi, but the Highlander defense came through to nail “Leather” at the plate.

In the bottom of the first frame, the Highlanders evened things up with a burst of two-out hits. But it was the Bandit defense’s turn to cut their rally short when an alert first tender, Ben “Coco” Hardt threw across the diamond to cut down a runner at third base to record the final out of the inning in a 1-1 tie.

The Bandits scored six runs in the next two innings. Nine Bandit strikers went to the line in the second inning, led by consecutive singles by Dan “Sunny Daze” Hayes and Terry “T-Bone” Conway. With one out, Mark “Manley” Walthers came through with a 2 RBI single, which was followed by another RBI single from Bob “Bullet” Gignilliat. In the third frame, the Bandits scored two more runs, once again on the strength of “Leather” Oltmanns and “Rib-eye” Rinaldi.

The 7-1 lead was enough for starting hurler Craig “Shooter” Sheehy, who scattered six hits across five innings of work. Although “Shooter” did much of his work in recording 9 strike-outs, the solid defensive play of the Bandits proved to be the difference maker. Key plays by scouts (outfielders) Todd “Penny” Pennington and “Philthy” Albee ensured that the Highlanders could not advance. Tender play (infield) was also flashy at times, particularly a “one bounce foul out” grab by “Rib-eye” Rinaldi to end a fourth inning threat by the Highlanders.

The Bandit half of the fifth inning put the game out of reach, as six more tallies were recorded with a mixture of timely hitting by the Bandits and untimely mistakes by the Highlanders. Six of the first seven Bandit strikers crossed the plate. Big at bats from Colby “Cheddar” Craig and “Penny” Pennington capped off the scoring on the day. Shut out relief pitching from “Leather” Oltmanns and Blake “Calaboose” Carmichael ensured that the Bandits would return home undefeated, and atop the GCVBB standings for another week.

The next Bandit game will be staged at the friendly confines of Stonehouse Park II on Sunday June 7th at 1:30PM. It is the third of five vintage games being played at home for the Bandits. The morning contest at 11AM features a battle for 2nd place, with the Sierra Highlanders taking on the defending champion Amador County Crushers (2-1). The Bandits then take the field versus a traditional league power in the Mother Lode Miners (2-2).

Come on out and enjoy the vintage game at home. You can always stay up to date on the Bandit web-site here on .com, or at www.gcvbb.com.