Albuquerque Academy is 9-1 against Hope Christian since April of 2019 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 Huskies at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
The home team had come away the winner the last five times Albuquerque Academy and Valley had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Chargers were the clear victors by a 12-1 margin over the Vikings on Friday. The win continues a trend for the Chargers in their matchups with the Vikings: they've now won three in a row.
Matthew Delaney spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up ten Ks. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances.
Ryan Williams
| 03/22/25 @ Atrisco Heritage Academy | 4 |
| 03/14/25 @ Highland | 4 |
| 03/06/25 @ Navajo Prep | 4 |
| 03/04/25 vs Sandia Prep | 3 |
| 04/18/25 @ Valley | 2 |
| + 9 more games |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Ryan Williams, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Albuquerque Academy is undefeated when Williams posts two or more runs, but 7-9 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of EJ Gallardo, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Albuquerque Academy was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .448. They are a perfect 8-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Hope Christian had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13.3 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Friday. They put the hurt on the Spartans with a sharp 10-3 victory.
Hope Christian also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and he was also dialed-in: Jacob Gergen gave up only one earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Keegan Johnson was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Luciano Gabaldon, who went 3-for-4 with one run and one double.
Hope Christian's win bumped their record up to 14-6. As for Albuquerque Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 13-9.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Albuquerque Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .442. However, it's not like Hope Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .440. 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 Hope Christian in their previous meeting two weeks ago, sneaking past 2-0. Do the Chargers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Huskies turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
