Hermsen pitches for Beloit

It's the night a lot of people in Manchester and surrouding communities have been waiting for. Former West Delaware prep B.J. Hermsen is the starting pitcher for the Beloit Snappers tonight in their Midwest League game against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

It's 3-0 Beloit in the top of the sixth inning. Hermsen has not allowed a hit, walked one and struck out one.

The right-hander from Masonville comes into tonight's game with a 3-1 record and 4.29 ERA. He was a sixth-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins in 2008.

There is a very large crowd here, including 2,000 people from TrueNorth in Cedar Rapids. And there are a lot of people here with West Delaware orange shirts on, including the Hawks' baseball team. I'd estimate 800 WD folks.

Hermsen was given a noticeably loud ovation when he was introduced pregame and again as he took the mound for his first pitch. At times, it has been difficult to figure out who the home team is, as far as crowd response.

He has retired the first nine Kernels in order: in the first on a flyball, a lineout and a groundout; in the second inning on a strikeout swinging and two groundouts; in the third on a grounder and two infield popups.

The Kernels (41-23) come into the game with a 2 1/2-game leaed in the Midwest League's Western Division.

Here is video of Hermsen pitching against Jon Karcich of the Kernels in the third inning. Karcich popped out to shortstop James Beresford in short left field: