Albuquerque Academy is a perfect 10-0 against Bernalillo since May of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Chargers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Spartans at 4:00 p.m. The timing is sure in Albuquerque Academy's favor as the team sits on seven straight wins at home while Bernalillo has been banged up by four consecutive losses on the road.
Albuquerque Academy is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Del Norte 24-4 on Friday. Considering the Chargers have won 11 matchups by more than seven runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Brian Valdez
| 04/25/25 @ Del Norte | 4 |
| 04/15/25 vs Los Alamos | 3 |
| 04/05/25 @ Atrisco Heritage Academy | 0 |
| 04/02/25 vs Valley | 1 |
| 03/28/25 @ Artesia | 5 |
Brian Valdez looked comfortable as he pitched two innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. What's more, he posted four strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March.
On the hitting side, Albuquerque Academy got a massive performance out of Ryan Williams, who got on base in four of his six plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. That's the most runs Williams has posted since back in March. Andrew Olson was another key player, going 4-for-6 with four runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Albuquerque Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .667. They are a perfect 8-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Bernalillo made easy work of Hope Christian on Wednesday and carried off a 17-4 win.
Uriel Castro made a splash no matter where he played. He struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off one hit (and not a single walk). He has become a key player for Bernalillo: the team is 3-1 when he allows at most two hits, but 8-11 otherwise. Castro was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three runs and two doubles.
In other batting news, Anthony Garcia was a standout: he fired off two home runs, seven RBI, and three runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. He is becoming a predictor of Bernalillo's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 7-12 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Christian Sanchez, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, two stolen bases, and three RBI.
Albuquerque Academy is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-9 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.9 runs over those games. As for Bernalillo, their win bumped their record up to 11-12.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Albuquerque Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .340. However, it's not like Bernalillo struggles in that department as they've averaged .348. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Albuquerque Academy came out on top in a nail-biter against Bernalillo in their previous meeting two weeks ago, sneaking past 2-1. Do the Chargers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Spartans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
