Baseball Preview: Bernalillo Spartans vs. Valley Vikings
After three games on the road, Bernalillo is heading back home. They will take on the Valley Vikings at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The last three games Bernalillo has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
The matchup between Bernalillo and Albuquerque Academy on Friday hardly resembled the 2-1 effort from their previous meeting. Bernalillo fell just short of Albuquerque Academy by a score of 12-10. Bernalillo has not had much luck with Albuquerque Academy recently, as the team's come up short the last eight times they've met.
Ulisses Castro and Alejandro Hernandez - Carillo did some serious damage despite the final result: Castro got on base in all four of his plate appearances with four RBI and a double, while Hernandez - Carillo scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Valley put the finishing touches on their sixth blowout victory of the season on Saturday. They blew past Atrisco Heritage Academy 8-2. The victory made it back-to-back wins for Valley.
Jayden Martinez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up nine Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Louie Gomez, who scored a run while going 2-for-4. Jayden Cockerham was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Bernalillo's loss ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 12-4. As for Valley, they now have a winning record of 10-9.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Bernalillo has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .453. However, it's not like Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Bernalillo might still be hurting after the 16-2 defeat they got from Valley when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Thankfully for Bernalillo, Alex Gilliam (who struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits (and only one walk)) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
