Baseball Recap: Albuquerque Academy Drops Season-High Score on Del Norte

Chargers

Margin (Wins)

04/25/25 @ Del Norte	20
03/06/25 @ Navajo Prep	20
03/22/25 @ Atrisco Heritage Academy	14
04/08/25 vs Del Norte	13
03/14/25 @ Highland	13

Winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Albuquerque Academy). They put the hurt on the Del Norte Knights with a sharp 24-4 win on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Chargers, who have now won 11 games by eight runs or more so far this season.

Brian Valdez looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.

At the plate, 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. Williams is becoming a predictor of the Chargers' success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 8-9 when he doesn't). Daniel Candelas was another key player, going 3-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and one double.

Albuquerque Academy kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 25 hits. They are a perfect 7-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

The victory (which was Albuquerque Academy's fourth in a row) raised their record to 15-9. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.5 runs over those games. As for Del Norte, they have been struggling recently as they've lost 12 of their last 13 matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 2-16-1 record this season.

Albuquerque Academy will face off against Bernalillo at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The timing is sure in the Chargers' favor as the squad sits on seven straight wins at home while the Spartans have been banged up by four consecutive losses on the road. As for Del Norte, they will square off against Atrisco Heritage Academy at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.