Manitowoc Wins NEW Championship

The Manitowoc Bandits beat the Sheboygan A’s, 3-2, in the decisive third game at Manitowoc’s Municipal Field Thursday night to claim the Northeastern Wisconsin League Championship for the second straight year.

The A’s outhit Manitowoc 13-5 and had numerous opportunities to score runs, but they were turned back by Bandit starter Adam Kohls time after time.

The Bandits couldn’t do anything with A’s starter Lucas Wilsing who pitched a courageous game. He went all the way, striking out eight and giving up just the five hits. But he had some control problems and that, coupled with a mysterious strike zone, led to Manitowoc runs.

In the third he walked the bases full and Manitowoc took a 1-0 lead on Kyle Dreger’sd infield out. In the fifth Manitowoc made it 2-0 with a run on a walk, hit and wild pitch. They got thier third on a 2-base outfield error, a walk, an intentional walk after a sacrifice bunt and Dreger’s base hit.

The A’s made it 2-1 in the seventh when, after two were out, Graham Bintliff doubled and scored on Kreston Albright’s base hit that came on a tremendous at bat which saw him foul off a number of pitches before delivering the hit. Matt Schilter followed that with another base hit and the A’s had runners at the corners, but Tim Patzman couldn’t deliver and grounded into a force.

Patzman did deliver in the ninth when the A’s made a last-ditch run. With one out Bintliff singled, after two outs, Schilter hit a ground ball that appeared to be an inning and game-ending force at second, but Mike Hall’s toss was errant and the hustling Bintliff was safe at second. Patzmann’s sharp single scored Bintliff, making it 3-2 and keeping the A’s alive, but reliever Keith Thompson struck out Grant Berkovitz to end the game.

Patzman and Shawn Wozniak had three hits for the A’s, and Jordan Rennicke and Bintliff both had two.

The A’s finish the season with a 46-20 record. The final audited statistics will be posted shortly.