Santa Fe Indian is a perfect 4-0 against Rehoboth Christian since April of 2023 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Braves are taking a road trip to take on the Lynx at 12:00 p.m. Santa Fe Indian's pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so Rehoboth Christian's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Santa Fe Indian got their first taste of in-conference action on Thursday and they started things off strong. They had just enough and edged out West Las Vegas 5-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Braves have posted since March 8th.
Talyn Kewanletzema
| 04/10/25 vs West Las Vegas | 1 |
| 04/10/25 vs West Las Vegas | 0 |
| 03/29/25 @ Hatch Valley | 1 |
Talyn Kewanletzema made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Terrance Crispin and Takoda Jones did most of the damage at the plate: Crispin scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances, while Jones got on base in all four of his plate appearances with one triple. That triple was Jones' first of the season. Another player making a difference was Dontrell Aguilar, who scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Rehoboth Christian). They were the clear victors by a 16-2 margin over Jemez Valley on Tuesday. Considering the Lynx have won four matchups by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Santa Fe Indian, Rehoboth Christian also got a great game from a two-way player: Jonathan Zylstra. He struck out six batters over 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Zylstra also tossed no walks, which is notable because Rehoboth Christian is 4-1 when he allows at most two walks, but 2-4 otherwise. Zylstra was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-3. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, Kodah Chapman was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with six RBI, three doubles, and two runs. Those six RBI gave him a new career-high. Karlin Yazzie was another key player, scoring three runs while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Rehoboth Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .559. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Jemez Valley only posted an OBP of .273.
Rehoboth Christian has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-5 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.2 runs over those games. As for Santa Fe Indian, their record is now 10-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Santa Fe Indian has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Rehoboth Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Santa Fe Indian was able to grind out a solid win over Rehoboth Christian in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, winning 11-7. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Braves since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
