VanThomme Twins Start Season with Shutouts for Bethlehem Academy

Anthony and Isaac VanThomme pitched the first two games of the season for the Faribault Bethlehem Academy Cardinals and the pair both tossed shutouts.

Thursday it was Isaac VanThomme's turn and he did not disappoint, allowing just two hits in the five-inning 11-0 Cardinal win over Medford at Bell Field. I'm sure Isaac would tell you his command was off a bit, but it was raining throughout much of the game. He struck out four and walked five while throwing 90 pitches, 53 of them strikes.

Monday his twin brother, Anthony, tallied 91 pitches over seven innings in the season-opening 2-0 victory over New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva.

Unlike Monday when Bethlehem Academy did not score until the seventh inning, they scored in every inning Thursday.

After a single to start the bottom of the first for the Cardinals by Brendan Trump, Peyton Glazinski was safe on a fielder's choice and scored on a RBI double by Kollin Hanson. The Cardinals scored four more runs in the second.

After a Medford error and walk to open the inning, senior third baseman Brendan Trump collected his second hit in as many at bats knocking in a run. Trump was one of our Faribault State Farm Insurance agents Faribault players of the game. He did what a good leadoff hitter is supposed to do -- get on base. Trump collected two singles and a walk and made some nice plays at the hot corner for the Cardinals.

Our other State Farm Players of the game were Kollin Hanson and Isaac Van Thomme.

Bethlehem Academy scored 11 runs on eight hits and committed a couple of errors while the Tigers left five runners on base with three of them in scoring position and had five miscues.

Senior centerfielder Wyatt Volkmann and senior shortstop Tyler Stenzel collected the Medford hits.

The Tigers travel to Dodge Center to play Triton on Friday and play Minneota at 3PM Saturday.

Bethlehem Academy's next game is Monday against Maple River at Bell Field.

Cardinal head coach Scott Hanson was very pleased with both VanThomme outings, saying  "the twins delivered identical results."

The only other Gopher Conference games Thursday were postponed.

• Maple River was supposed to go to Blooming Prairie
• United South Central was supposed to play at NRHEG
• In a nonconference game, Kenyon-Wanamingo rolled over Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 10-1.

On Friday, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown is at St. Clair and Maple River goes to Mankato Loyola while United South Central hosts Mayer Lutheran-Granada-Huntley-East Chain. The Tri-City United game at New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva has been postponed.