Down in New Mexico, the action was intense at the Spencer Memorial, featuring a double-elimination format that tested every team’s depth. When the dust settled, the Pueblo Bandits stood tall as champions, led by an iconic individual performance on the mound.
The Winners’ Bracket
The tournament bracket saw early statements made on Saturday morning. The Dukes advanced past Rio Puerco Fastpitch, while the Red Leaf squad dispatched the AZ Brewers. Meanwhile, the Pueblo Bandits started their march by handling Sam’s Choice in their 11:00 AM opener.
By Saturday afternoon, the Bandits faced off against Red Leaf in a marquee matchup, with Pueblo stringing together a stellar performance to secure a spot in Sunday’s late bracket games.
Sunday Drama & The Final
Red Leaf refused to go quietly. After dropping into the loser’s bracket, they fought their way all the way back to the grand final on Sunday afternoon to earn a rematch with the undefeated Bandits.
The championship game, however, belonged completely to Pueblo. The Pueblo Bandits put on a offensive clinic, defeating Red Leaf 10-3 in a dominant final performance to take home the hardware.
Tournament MVP: The weekend belonged to Pueblo’s Julio Moreno, who put the team on his back. Moreno took home tournament MVP honors after serving as the winning pitcher in both the crucial semifinal and the 10-3 championship game.