In local amateur baseball, the Manitowoc Bandits got off to a slow start but bounced back big-time to win their home opener 9-3 over the Branch Blaze on Friday night.
Some sloppy defense allowed the visiting Blaze to score all 3 of their runs in the first inning, before manager Chris Cisler’s team tallied a run in the bottom of the first.
Then, the Bandits scored 6 runs in the 4th, capped off by a 3-run homer from newcomer Jaicee Foster.
Manitowoc would add two more runs in the bottom of the 8th to back a strong pitching performance from Lucas Mandich.
Lucas worked 8 innings and scattered 5 hits while striking out 10. Jacob Gallagher fanned 3 in the 9th.
Earl Vorpagel went 3 for 4 with an RBI, Carter Stebane was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI, Shad Hintz added 2 hits and a run batted in.
The Bandits return to action Wednesday night in a 7:30 p.m. first pitch at Municipal Field as the Denmark Devilbears come to town.
