Bandits mostly Gold

Half of state team call the Glitter Strip home

THE future of Gold Coast baseball looks in safe hands with a number of local players selected in the Queensland youth baseball team to compete at the national championships in Canberra.

Eight of the 16 Bandits squad members for the competition this week are from Gold Coast and one of them, Soraya Hamson, believes the local flavour will boost the team on the national stage.

“It will help us heaps I think,” she said. “We already know each other and our strengths so I think it will definitely help us out.”

The national championships won’t be the first time the 14-year-old has represented her state.

“I’ve done it for softball so now I can do it for baseball,” she said. “I’m pretty excited to be selected.”

Along with Coast talent, the Queensland side has girls from Brisbane, Cairns and even the Northern Territory.

“They don’t have a team so we ended up being the closest but she (Caydence Larmon) played with us at states and earnt her spot,” said team catcher Hannah Marshall.

The 16-year-old has been a part of the Queensland side for two years and is excited to return to Canberra.

“I’m most looking forward to beating Victoria,” Marshall said. “They knocked us out last year so I have a little vendetta and we want to show them that Queensland isn’t to be messed with.”

With two national championships under her belt, Marshall said she would take on a leadership role as many of the girls were pulling on the Bandits jersey for the first time.

“Everyone gets a little nervous but I’ve been there and learnt how to handle it,” she said.

“I’ve had girls help me in the past so I want to return the favour.”

The Queensland youth baseball side traveled to Canberra last week for a training camp before competition begins today.