Oh brother, can they pitch!

Without an abundance of arms on the team, Danny Hennen has been the workhorse on the mound for the past several years for the Minneota Mudhens amateur baseball team.
The Mudhens have now discovered another pitcher that can "eat up" some innings and give the workhorse a day off when needed. It just so happens the other arm comes from the same family.
Jacob Hennen, Danny's younger brother, has been impressive on the hill in spot duty in his first full season with the Mudhens.
Jacob is 19 years old, 13 years younger than Danny. Jacob filled in last year for the Mudhens but pitched only three innings.
"Jake pitches like Danny in that he throws strikes and doesn't walk a lot of hitters," said Mudhens player/manager Tyson Sonnenburg. "They both make the batters earn their way on base."
Jacob has started three games so far this summer, while relieving in four others. He is currently 6-0 with a 3.25 ERA in 36 innings. He has walked 10 and struck out 30 batters.
"Jake has been an awesome surprise for us," Sonnenburg said. "He's been able to pitch deep into games. Like Danny, he doesn't get rattled if he gives up a hit or a run."
Jacob has had one complete-game victory, while throwing 8 2/3 and 7 innings in his other two starts, both wins.
"I don't think I threw more than five innings in a game in high school," Jacob said. "I told Tyson that and he was surprised."
The one difference for Jacob from high school to amateur baseball is recovery time.
"I was ready to throw again in two days in high school," said Jacob. "After I pitched nine innings for the Mudhens, I tried throwing again in warmups a couple of days later and thought to myself that I might need another day or two."
Danny is one of two original Mudhens from when the team started in 2009 (Sonnenburg is the other). He has been the team's workhorse ace the past eight seasons.
"I remember going to the games when I was little and watching (Danny) pitch," said Jacob. "We would help my dad in the concession stand, but he was always having to tell us to stop peering out the window to watch the game and work the concessions."
Danny, who generally starts against the Mudhens' tougher opponents, is currently 4-1 with one save and a 2.48 ERA. In 40 innings pitched, he has walked eight and struck out 30.
"I've never been a big strikeout pitcher," said Danny. "I rely on keeping the hitters off balance with different pitches and location."
His save came in a game in which Jacob was cruising along against Dawson before giving up three straight hits with two outs in the ninth. Danny then entered and recorded the final out.
"Danny is Mr. Consistent," said Sonnenburg. "If we didn't have him throwing the past eight years, things would be a lot different for the Mudhens ... in a bad way. You know exactly what you're going to get from him each game. He throws his fastball, curveball and changeup all for strikes."
The brothers, who are two of Brad and Barb Hennen's nine children, have many similarities besides just their control. They are both around 6-foot-3, right-handed, throw hard but are not overpowering, have the same assortment of pitches, like to establish the inside part of the plate, and are quiet and unassuming.
"It's fun to see Jacob improve and have the success he has," said Danny. "It's nice to get a chance to be on the same team as him."
Sonnenburg remarked that because both of the Hennens throw strikes, it makes the opposing teams work harder for their runs.
"We have a very good defense, so having those two throwing strikes and not walking a lot of hitters puts us in a good position to make plays," Sonnenburg said.
The Mudhens (11-1), winners of their last 11 games, play the Castlewood Monarchs at 7:30 p.m. tonight (July 7 at home and then host the Ortonville Rox at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 9, which is the annual Paul Larson Memorial Game.