Judging by his remarkably efficient effort Friday, St. Cloud Cathedral junior Brindley Theisen is just as comfortable with a small white ball in his hands as he is with a much larger orange one.

Given a three-run lead before he ever took the mound, Theisen, a 1,000-point career scorer for the Crusaders’ basketball team, pitched a three-hitter to defeat Glencoe-Silver Lake 6-0 in the Class 2A semifinals at St. Cloud’s Dick Putz Field.

“Brindley is really terrific athlete,” Cathedral coach Bob Karn said. “He has unusual composure for a young ballplayer. He doesn’t allow anything to affect him.”

Theisen struck out three and walked one, facing just four batters over the minimum of 21.

“I’m lucky to be able to catch to such great pitchers,” said Cathedral catcher Tom Imholte, who was behind the plate for Jeff Fasching’s 5-1 victory over Blake in the quarterfinals. “I just have to call the pitches and they throw them.”

Imholte had the key at-bat in the Crusader’s three-run first-inning. With one run already scored, he stroked a two-strike, two-out pitch from Glencoe-Silver Lake starter Tanner Grack to right-center, driving in a pair for what proved to be an insurmountable lead.

“That such a nice thing to have,” Theisen said. “I can just go out there and throw strikes. If they hit it, they hit it.”

Glencoe-Silver Lake (18-5) didn’t hit much. Theisen held the Panthers hitless for the first three innings and did not allow a Panthers runner past second base.

Meanwhile, Cathedral added to its lead with 380-foot home run by Fasching, who was playing right field, in the fourth inning and a couple of insurance runs in the top of the seventh.

“Without a doubt, that’s a tough team to play, especially when they have the lead,” Glencoe-Silver Lake coach Dean Schwirtz said. “Baseball can be a very humbling game.”

The victory was the 710th of Karn’s career, a state record that increases  every time Cathedral wins. The Crusaders (26-1) will be making their 10th championship-game appearance Monday, looking for their eighth state title.

The Minnesota State High School League announced Friday afternoon that championship games originally scheduled for Saturday at Target Field would take place instead on Monday.

 

First report

St. Cloud Cathedral wasted little time in Friday’s Class 2A semifinal, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, and rode the right arm of junior pitcher Brindley Theisen to a 6-0 victory over Glencoe-Silver Lake.

Three of the top-seeded Crusaders’ first five hitters came around to score in their first at-bat, giving Theisen a comfort margin to work with. He responded with an efficient three-hitter, striking out just three while walking no one.

Cathedral (26-1) will play in the Saturday’s Class 2A against either Kasson-Mantorville or Fairmont. It will be the Crusaders’ 10th championship game appearance and they’ll be seeking their eighth title.

The victory was No. 710 for Cathedral coach Bob Karn, a state record that increases with each victory.

Glencoe-Silver Lake fell to 18-5 and played in the third-place game late Friday afternoon.