Bethlehem Academy Baseball Back on Winning Track

The Faribault Bethlehem Academy Cardinals snapped a three-game losing streak Monday night with a 12-2 win over the Awesome Blossoms of Blooming Prairie.

The Cardinals came into the game hitting .390 as a team and they collected 13 more against a freshman pitcher who went the distance while throwing 175 pitches.

Seth Peterson struck out 10 Bethlehem Academy batters and walked five and also had four errors behind him, 102 of his pitches were for strikes.

One of the things head Cardinal coach Scott Hanson probably wasn't too pleased with was the fact six of the 10 strikeouts were looking.

During our Faribault Foods pre-game show, Hanson said his team had left too many runners on base and it was something they wanted to improve.

The Cardinals stranded eight runners on the bases, seven of them were in scoring position. Runners were at second and third in the second inning with one out and the Cardinals did not score.

In the third inning there was a runner at third with one out when Bethlehem Academy closed the inning with back-to-back looking strikeouts.

In the fourth inning there were runners at first and second and the inning ended on a strikeout. A runner was in scoring position in the fifth and the inning ended on a strikeout. A runner was at second in the sixth and the inning again ended on a strikeout.

Six of the seven innings for Bethlehem Academy ended in batters striking out, and three of those were looking.

Hanson did a bit of juggling of his lineup to end the three-game skid.

Brendan Trump had been his leadoff man and he batted ninth Monday night in Blooming Prairie.

Trump was one of the State Farm Insurance Agents Faribault players of the game with two hits, two RBI, a run scored and got on base three of the four times he was up.

Senior Alex Dunn led off as a designated hitter for the pitcher Luke Donkers and started the game with a single and scored on the RBI double in the first inning. Dunn had another hit and was on base three times with two runs scored.

Isaac Van Thomme was another State Farm Faribault player of the game with a pair of hits and pair of RBI, and Luke Donkers was the other choice courtesy of State Farm Agents Tony Langerud and Jason Krohn.

Donkers, a sophomore, was making his varsity starting debut and got the win after going five innings.

He threw 104 pitches, 53 for strikes, allowing two runs on six hits. Donkers struck out four and walked four while hitting two batters. The right hander only allowed more than one hit in one inning and that was the fifth when he may have been a bit tired. Donkers threw 15 of 26 first-pitch strikes.

Bethlehem Academy finished the night with seven stolen bases in seven attempts and have yet to have a runner thrown out attempting to steal, according to their statistics.

They are 14 of 14 in that department and now are 5-4 overall and 4-1 in Gopher Conference action.

The Cardinals host New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva on Thursday night while the Awesome Blossoms see Mankato Loyola come to Blooming Prairie on Friday night.

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The Faribault Falcons had a delay due to lightning at Bell Field on Monday night and that's exactly what they saw -- lightning-quick bats in a 10-0 loss to state-ranked Red Wing.

Ted Tauer was the winning pitcher, holding Faribault to two hits. He walked two and fanned seven in the game.

The only Faribault players to get hits were Omar Escobar and Carson Louis.

Payton Miller took the loss for Faribault while throwing five innings and giving up 10 of the 11 hits Red Wing collected. Miller had no strikeouts and five walks while giving up nine runs, eight earned.

Faribault is still in search of its first win and travels to Rochester Century for a doubleheader Thursday that is scheduled to be on the radio.

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In other high school baseball Monday night:

• Kenyon-Wanamingo 13, Stewartville 2 (5 innings) WP-Dylan Craig

Luke Rechtzigel had three hits, including a double and homer for three RBIs, and Gavin Roosen had three hits.

The Knights remain unbeaten in the H-V-L and are at Triton on Tuesday.

The game will be broadcast on Power 96 Radio 95.9FM and by downloading the free RadioPup app on your favorite mobile device.

• Rochester Lourdes 16, Hayfield 5 (6 innings)
• Byron 10, Triton 2
• Holy Family Catholic 9, Kasson-Mantorville 8 (game played at Siebert Field Uof M)
• Mankato West vs. New Ulm postponed due to rain
• Burnsville 6, Apple Valley 4
• Waseca 7, Lake Crystal-Welcome-Memorial 0
• Farmington 13, Lakeville South  8
• Sibley East 6, Belle Plaine 3