2024 25+ Cactus
Northwest Bandits 23, Seattle Pirates 5
‘Solid Pitching and Deep Lineup Lead NW Bandits to First World Series Title’
As the final out was recorded in the 25+ Cactus Championship Game at Tempe Diablo Stadium, two celebrations unfolded simultaneously. The Northwest Bandits Baseball Club players rushed to the mound, celebrating their 23-5 victory over the Seattle Pirates, the team that had eliminated them in the 2023 semi-finals. The win marked the Bandits’ first-ever World Series Championship. Hidden to some, a smaller yet significant moment was shared between a father-and-son coaching duo, embracing their first World Series title together.
Family has always played a central role in the NW Bandits’ team dynamics, evident in the team’s operations: father Ron Mackie manages the club, his son DJ serves as a coach, his wife Shelly is the official scorekeeper, and their grandchildren Emma and Gunner fill the roles of ball girl and bat boy. This sense of family extends to the loyal crowd of fans who consistently travel with them to Phoenix.
We’ve had over two dozen family members and friends come watch us play over the past 4-5 trips. Ron’s 18 years as a manager in the Inland NW Men’s Baseball League and his time as a high school coach allowed him to build lasting relationships, coaching most of these players and being part of their lives for more than a decade.
The World Series Tournament holds special significance for the Mackie family. This year (2024), Ron marked his 16th trip to the tournament since 2005—10 years as a player, during which he won a title in 2017, and nine as a manager. For DJ, it was his seventh appearance, including five years as part of the father-son division and two as a player and assistant coach with the Bandits.
With Ron’s potential retirement looming, the father-son duo assembled a roster they hoped could finally secure a championship after five years of near misses. Over the past five seasons, the Bandits had reached the championship game once (2021) and appeared in three other semi-finals.
The Bandits began this year’s tournament strong, finishing pool play with a 4-1 record and securing the #4 seed. Their offense shone, scoring 67 runs across five games with a collective .424 batting average. Standout performances included Brent Dickey (.796/.786/1.231) and Josh Mandin (.667/.714/.833), while the lower half of the lineup hit an impressive .465 with 28 RBIs. Dickey led the team with 11 RBIs, including a three-run homer in a dominant 28-2 win over the Chicago Cyclones.
Pitching was equally effective, with the pitchers posting a 1.93 ERA and allowing only 11 earned runs across five games. Juan Garcia pitched nine innings over two games, striking out eight and allowing just six hits. Michael LaFranchise threw seven innings of one-run ball, while Corey Ventura notched the team’s sole save, striking out a combined eight batters in a 2-1 victory against the Seattle Pirates game #2 of the tournament.
In the quarterfinals, the Bandits faced the defending champions, the Antelope Valley Phillies. On just two days’ rest, Michael LaFranchise delivered a complete-game masterpiece, giving up one run on five hits and striking out five. Offensively, the Bandits scored seven runs, five of which came in the sixth inning with two outs. Jordan Peterson, Josh Mandin, and Devan Khoma each drove in two runs, and Mandin, Khoma, and Mike Livingston each collected multiple hits.
The semi-finals saw the Bandits in a high-scoring battle against the New Mexico Dukes, ultimately prevailing 13-8. Chris Dempsey provided stability on the mound, throwing 3.2 innings of one-hit ball and giving up none in later part of the game. The bats stayed hot for the Bandits with Josh Mandin, Pat Kestell, and Jake Kimbrough each collecting multiple hits and RBIs, and Mike Livingston adding his own two RBIs. Shortstop Kestell’s web gem diving catch behind second base turned into a double play, halting a Dukes comeback.
In the championship game, the Bandits demonstrated their depth with five pitchers and 19 batters contributing to a decisive 23-5 victory over the Seattle Pirates. Though the Pirates scored first with a run in the top of the first inning, the Bandits responded with 10 runs in the bottom half.
Juan Garcia pitched the first four innings, allowing one run on five hits with one strikeout. Michael LaFranchise followed with two shutout innings, striking out three. Rylin Dukes struck out two of the five batters he faced without allowing any runs, and Jordan Peterson closed out the game with two strikeouts as well. The Bandits also turned three double plays to support their pitchers.
Offensively, the Bandits tallied 19 hits. Mike Livingston and Nic Bereaud each had three, while Michael Stewart, Josh Mandin, James Edwards, and Devan Khoma collected two apiece. Livingston led the team with five RBIs, and Edwards added three more on two doubles. Corbin Walker and Chris Baker each drove in two, while Stewart stole three bases. It was a total team effort.
The Bandits named Josh Mandin as their tournament MVP. Mandin had 15 hits, seven RBIs, nine runs, three walks, and one hit-by-pitch while slashing .750/.760/.900 to lead the team in all categories.
Michael LaFranchise was also recognized for his outstanding work on the mound, pitching 18 innings across three games. Facing 70 batters, he struck out 14, walked four, allowed 11 hits, and gave up only two earned runs.