The Manitowoc Bandits will Open their 2024 baseball season Saturday afternoon at Wildwood Park in Sheboygan, participating in the “Play Ball” Tournament.
Coach Chris Cisler’s squad went 17 and 6 last season, capped with a Shoreland League Championship, defeating the Denmark Devil Bears 8 to 7 in 10 innings in the third and deciding game of the champ series at Municipal Field in Manitowoc.
He tells Seehafer Sports that it was truly unique.
The game took a week to complete because of weather and multiple twists and turns, which he says led both teams to feel that they had won the championship.
“When you are down three runs going into the eighth inning, you get two back and then give two back up in the top of the ninth, only to hit two home runs in the bottom of the ninth and win the game in the bottom of the tenth, it was amazing.
It goes to show what kind of guys we have with a never-say-die attitude. We (the team) still talk about that game to this day.”
The Bandits have been able to remain “consistent winners” by keeping the core of its squad together.
Returning is arguably the best battery in the league in pitcher Luke Mandich and Catcher A.J. Dollinger. But Cisler says he’s had to tweak this squad “just a bit.”
“There’s usually one or two guys that start to think about hanging it up as they get older. They sort of put themselves on a standby basis. It’s amazing, though, how many of those guys pick up the phone and are willing to step up and lend a hand if we (The Bandits) were really in a pinch.”
It might sound corny, but Cisler adds this franchise is truly an extended family.
“The team is built on the buddy system. All these guys are friends. They bring in their friends that compete hard in the league, and in the end, it turns into one big cohesive unit.”
And with a target on their back again this year, Cisler knows it’ll be tough to win another title in 2024.
“This league has tremendous talent up and down their roster. It’s a fun atmosphere, and it’s some of the baseball you’re going to see in the area.”
The Bandits play The Sheboygan A’s at 11 a.m., followed by a matchup with the D.C.Marvel from Milwaukee at approximately 1 p.m.
Branch will host Kewaskum and Appleton, with winners of each pool meeting for the title late Saturday afternoon.
