DiGalbo's bond boosting Bonner-Prendergast
Collin and Christian DiGalbo are tight, inseparable, the best of friends. In fact, the fraternal twins were born just five minutes apart.
Collin and Christian DiGalbo are tight, inseparable, the best of friends.
In fact, the fraternal twins were born just five minutes apart.
Collin is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound right-handed pitcher for Bonner-Prendergast. Christian, the oldest, is the team's 6-3, 270-pound first baseman.
The pair is so close they even played quarterback and center, respectively, during the Friars' football season.
Get the ultra-intense brothers playing backyard wiffle ball, however, and things will get competitive.
"Very competitive," Collin said, laughing. "Everything we do, we compete against each other. No matter if it's wiffle ball in the backyard or who can be better on the field."
After a sluggish start on the diamond, the brothers DiGalbo hope to push the Friars (2-4 overall, 1-2 conference) back to the Catholic League playoffs.
B-P last won the PCL title in 2010 and has made the playoffs in each season since at least 2005.
Christian bats cleanup and leads the team with five RBIs. Collin, who skipped baseball last season to focus on his football recruitment, leads the Friars in strikeouts (12) and ERA (.78).
Last week's nonleague victory against Malvern - the defending co-champions of the Inter-Ac - may have provided needed momentum. The Friars followed that win with a 6-0 triumph against Roman Catholic.
"We've started slowly, but I think that win against Malvern really gave us the confidence that we can beat any team out there," said Collin, who struck out 11 in five innings against Malvern.
The following day was Easter Sunday, and Collin's wiffle ball squad fared much worse in the backyard of the family's home in Secane, Delaware County.
Christian's squad won, 13-2. In a family full of athletes, competition has always kept the twins together.
Their brother, Anthony, 23, played baseball and football at B-P. Dominic, another B-P grad, is a center on the Coastal Carolina football team. The youngest sibling, Gianna, is a freshman at B-P and plays softball and field hockey.
"We've always been close since we were younger," Collin said. "We've always had the same friends. Always tight, hanging out and doing everything together. Playing football and baseball no matter where we went."
"I did better than him all the time, obviously," he continued, laughing. "He did all right against me, I guess. We'd get real mad at each other and push each other all around and everything."
That's when their mother, Robin, stepped in.
"It's not really physical (anymore), it's more bickering," she said. "Then I'd run after them, and I'm only 5-4 so it's kind of funny."
"When they were younger, they used to get in the boxing ring. My husband (Anthony) is a boxing trainer. They've grown out of the physical part of it. They're getting closer as they're getting older."
Geographically, at least, that will change next year. Collin will play football for Kutztown and Christian will play for California, Pa.
"First time we'll ever be separated for longer than a week," said Christian, who consistently reminds Collin that he is the oldest.
Before they go their separate ways, this season could be the duo's last chance to share athletic success.
"That's very important to us," Collin said. "We won an eighth grade championship in football (St. Joseph's) so we want to end grade school and high school with a championship. Everything we've won has been together."
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