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Alabama Bandits Baseball
The Alabama Bandits are currently in a state of hiatus. The possibility exist for tournament play at a future date, however the complicated schedules of players and coaches at the High School level have put a serious drain on the number of reunion dates. A brief History along with previous seasons are still posted on the website as will be any new information.
The Alabama Bandits were a travel baseball team that existed from 2001-2005 in some capacity in Northeast Alabama. While winning several state and national tournaments, the Bandits were most responsible for building the characters of the young men who participated. Several Coaches contributed to this effort, Gray Waddell, Randy Vice, Frederick Gray, Rodney Lipscomb, Mike Watson, Olan Carter,Jody Huddleston, Tommy Jennings,Greg Rudolph, Ron Cordell, Troy Watts, Noel Vice, Mike Lamb, and Derrick Morgan all contributed at some point in the success of this franchise. Stacy Coker and Bobby Keener brought the first true travel team to the Gadsden area with the 2001 Coosa Rivercats of which many of the later Bandits would participate. Today many of the young men who made up the Bandits are excelling in other School and Travel ball programs. We hope to add an alumni page soon. Rumour has it that Bandits may be reviving as a U-9 squad pretty soon
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Monday, November 20
BANDITS SIGN SCHOLARSHIPS
This Section deals with Bandits who sign college scholarships and will be updated as new signings are listed.
1st Signee...Trey Vice...UAB
VICE ACCEPTS SCHOLARSHIP
FROM UAB BLAZERS
Trey has announced his decision to accept a scholarship offer from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He would like to thank the coaching staffs from all the schools who were actively recruiting him. He is extremely excited about playing for Coach Brian Shoop and the rest of the U.A.B. staff. He is now concentrating on this spring's Westbrook High School Baseball season.
Vice chooses UAB
Vice signs letter of intent with UAB Blazers/ From highschoolgameday.com
Westbrook Christian pitcher Trey Vice has made it official. The flame-throwing left hander has signed a national letter of intent to play for the UAB Blazers next season.
Vice, who was rated by Baseball America as the nation?s 143rd best prospect and 8th best in the state of Alabama, chose the Blazers over a number of high profile schools in the southeast.
"We are thrilled that Trey Vice has decided to join the UAB baseball family," said UAB head baseball coach Brian Shoop. "We thought he was one of the best high school left hand pitchers in our state and he will certainly compete for innings immediately. We expect Trey to win a lot of games as a Blazer."
Last season he recorded a 10-2 record along with a 0.34 ERA and 134 strikeouts.
*For more info on Trey, check out the article entitled ?Vice Grip?*
CUNNINGHAM CHOOSES GAMECOCKS
Jacksonville's Cunningham chooses JSU
Filed under: Jacksonville
By Shannon Fagan
The Anniston Star
Dec. 5, 2006
Jacksonville outfielder Todd Cunningham has signed a scholarship to play baseball for the Jacksonville State Gamecocks next season.
Cunningham, a senior, compiled a .423 batting average with nine doubles, seven home runs, 34 RBIs, 20 walks and 13 stolen bases.
?If you looked up what every college team is looking for in a player, you would see a picture of Todd Cunningham,? JSU baseball coach Jim Case said. ?He is a tremendous all-around athlete with as much character and class as anyone you would ever meet. As a staff, we felt there was no way we could let Todd get away from JSU.?
RANBURNES DYNAMIC DUO SMITH AND WHITLEY CHOOSE SOUTHERN UNION
Story "Coming Soon"
JOSH HUDDLESTON INKS SCHOLARSHIP WITH WALLACE-HANCEVILLE
Two Bearcats to Become Lions: Huddleston and Cain will play baseball at Wallace State
By Brandon Shields
The Cullman Times
bshields@cullmantimes.com
Josh Huddleston and Chris Cain have one more season in which they will be a part of one of the more successful high school baseball traditions in North Alabama as they are about to start their senior season at Cullman High School.
They assured themselves Monday morning they will be a part of another successful baseball tradition when their days at Cullman are over as they signed to play at Wallace State Community College. Both players bat left-handed while Cain signed as a catcher and Huddleston signed as a first-baseman. Huddleston said he is glad to go from one winning program to another."Their tradition of winning is a big reason why I wanted to go to Wallace State," Huddleston said. "Cullman has one, too, so it is a good fit. Plus both Chris and I grew up watching Wallace State, and it's a
place where I've always wanted to play." Cain said he was glad to be moving on to the next level with one of his team mates from high school."It's always nice to continue playing with someone you've grown up with," Cain said. "Plus, I've known (Wallace State) Coach (Randy) Putnam for a long time because my dad used to coach with him, and I am looking forward to playing for him."Cain said he and Huddleston do not expect the type of coaching from Cullman head coach Bryan Bowen to Putnam to be very different from each other."They talk a lot to each other and seem to have pretty much the same mind set when it comes to coaching baseball," Cain said. "Plus Coach Bowen played for Coach Putnam at Wallace State, so they have the same
philosophy."Putnam said he is glad to have the two Bearcats join his team next year,
which now makes 11 signees for the Lions' 2007 recruiting class. "I'm glad to have them because they're winners, but they're also true-blue baseball players, which is what every coach wants," Putnam said. "They are both dedicated and loyal, and they come from good families."They are good students who exemplify everything we want this program to exemplify, so that made them both very easy to recruit."
Bowen said both players have grown a lot during their days at Cullman, and they both can still get even better. "Chris has really developed a lot over the last couple of years, and I think he has a good shot at developing even more," Bowen said. "He played as a DH a lot last year and got some time catching, and he has
worked really hard to get even better as a catcher. He has cleaned up his defensive game a lot behind the plate. "Josh is one who took off early in his career but has been slowed down some by a couple of injuries. Coach Putnam signed him as a first baseman and a hitter, but Josh has a plus side because he can also play some on
the mound at Wallace. Both of these guys will be bonuses for Coach Putnam's program." While they are excited about playing at the collegiate level, Huddleston
said there is still work to do in high school, and he, Cain and the rest of the Bearcats are ready to get started."We are definitely a stronger and faster team this year," Huddleston said. "We have worked hard in the offseason, and we have our sites set on a state championship." Cullman's season is scheduled to begin on Feb. 20 when the Bearcats host Vestavia.
Clough To Sign With Faulkner University
Sources close to Adam Clough have confirmed he will sign a scholarship with Faulkner University this spring. Further Details coming soon...
Three more former Alabama Bandits have inked scholarships:
Blake Huddleston of Cullman committed to UAB and will sign a full scholarship and join former teammate Trey Vice as a Blazer. Huddleston, coming off surgery last season,was a mainstay with the early Bandits. UAB Article:Cullman Standout Huddleston Signs NLI to Play Baseball at UAB
All-state utility player won 5A state championship
July 16, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Blake Huddleston, a right-handed pitcher and utility player from Cullman, Ala. has signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play baseball for the UAB Blazers next season as announced by head coach Brian Shoop on Monday. Huddleston was tabbed an all-state selection by The Birmingham News in June.
"We began recruiting Blake last summer, so we are obviously thrilled that he has decided to attend UAB," Shoop said. "I have always loved dual position players so we will give Blake every opportunity in the world to both pitch and play a position."
Huddleston was a multi-facet player for the Cullman HS Bearcats, playing in both the infield and outfield in addition to his duties on the mound. In 2007, Huddleston's Bearcat club played its way to the Alabama 5A state title, earning him all-state and all-area honors.
"Blake is a winner in every way," Shoop said. "He was an all-state selection and has overpowering stuff on the mound. He has been a leader on Cullman's state championship team and has played for one of the best high school coaches in our state in Bryan Bowen."
Huddleston finished his Bearcat career in 2007 by hitting .406 with 10 home runs, 49 RBI and 15 stolen bases in his senior campaign.
Not only a winner on the diamond, Huddleston excels in the classroom and is a member of the National Honor Society and French Honor Society.
"Blake is a hard worker," Shoop said. "He's a winner off the field and is exactly the type of young man we are recruiting and trying to build this program around."
Huddleston becomes the eighth player to sign an NLI to play for the Blazers next season. He joins Nick Crawford (2B, Evangelical Christian School), Devin Hamilton (1B, Harrison HS) Bradley Hicks (OF, Faith Academy), Beau Pender (RHP, Gulf Coast CC), Austin Taylor (OF, Holmes CC), Digger Towe (C, Indian Hills CC) and Trey Vice (LHP, Westbrook Christian School) as newcomers to the UAB baseball family.
Cody Williams, Victory Christian (06) signed last season with Jeff State as a pitcher/middle infielder, Cody was a pitcher for the 2004 Bandits.
(Gadsden Times)Darius Rudolph inked with Gadsden State on a baseball scholarship.Rudolph will also play basketball. "This is a great opportunity for him," he said. "Gadsden State is getting a quality athlete who is capable of moving up from there."Rudolph is a standout pitcher and outfielder for Gadsden City who could see time at either spot for the Cardinals' baseball squad. Rudolph was a middle infielder, outfielder, and pitcher with the Bandits from 03 thru 05. The total number of Bandits continues to climb. Additional news will soon be available.
Josh Vest: Sources close to Etowah H.S. have announced that Josh Vest has signed to play with Snead State CC in Boaz,AL. More information will be coming soon.
Junior Gray: Gadsden State two-sport standout Junior (Frederick) Gray has signed a full scholarship with Okaloosa-Walton CC to continue his Baseball career. OWCC is one of the finest JUCO programs in the country and Gray should continue to excel.
Sawyer Denny and Nick Vickerson, both of Northport, AL . are known to the Bandits primarily as opponents during the 2001-2005 years. They played for the Future Prospects and the Yarddogs for most of this time period. However, both served as invited Guest players for the Bandits in a total of 3 tournaments, Vickerson actually participated in the 2004 BPA World Series with the Bandits. Sawyer will be headed to Gadsden State CC while Nick will be attending Meridian CC in MS. Congratulations to these two young men.
Myles Cordell and Brock Read are also playing on scholarship with more info coming soon.
BANDITS WIN WORLD SERIES!!!
The Alabama Bandits defeated the Chattanooga Colonels, Nashville Sting,Bama Bombers, and the Huntsville Rockets to win the 2004 BPA 15U
World Series. The Bandits sole loss came to the Rockets on Friday,June 9. On Saturday, the Bandits defeated the Colonels and the Rockets to gain the crown. The Championship game was a classic that went 13 innings. Full coverage can be found in the article below.
This Championship culminates a dream that was started 5 years ago by several people in the Gadsden-Anniston Area. Though many of the
players and coaches are no longer active with the Bandits or Rivercats, each one has contributed in building the reputation of this baseball club. Therefore this Championship is a victory for all
World Series Gadsden Times Newspaper Article
Bandits Win Alabama (North) State Championship
The Bandits defeated the Huntsville Rockets 12-6 in Huntsville to cap their performance in the State BPA Tournament. Nate Klosokowski was the winning pitcher in the Championship game. The Bandits hit 4 Homeruns in the Final at Lee High School in Huntsville. The Championship round had been moved from Gadsden due to rain.
Bandits Win 2004 Season Opener !!!
The Alabama Bandits defeated the Alabama Storm, Covenant Christian, and the Hunstville Rockets in a rain shortened Blastoff Tournament in Hunstville.
2003 Stories and Results
Click Here for Fall 2001, Spring 2002 Stories and Results
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