Just got a summer college ball “heads-up” that the Manitowoc Bandits won the Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League championship with a 14-3 victory over the Sheboygan A’s on Thursday.

Normally, what happens in Manitowoc can stay in Manitowoc, as far as I’m concerned. But there is some Mid-Columbia love coming off this game.

The Bandits feature a pair of area players on their roster in outfielder Kevin Valerio (Kennewick) and pitcher Liam O’Brien (Prosser), both of Whitworth U.

O’Brien picked up the win in the championship, scattering nine hits and striking out eight over eight innings and allowing just a pair of earned runs.

O’Brien led the Bandits with a 2.28 ERA, 71 innings pitched, 55 strikeouts and seven wins against one loss. Valerio finished fifth on the team in hitting at .331 (57-for-172) with seven doubles, three triples and 29 RBIs.